The White-bellied Sea Eagles of northern Penang Island, Malaysia
Introduction The White-bellied Sea Eagle is a large diurnal bird of prey that breeds and hunts near water, with fish forming the majority of its diet. The adult bird has a white head, rump and underparts, and dark or slate-grey back and wings. In flight, the black flight feathers on the wings are easily seen when the bird is viewed from below. The large, hooked bill is a leaden blue-grey with a darker tip, and the eyes are dark brown. The legs and feet are yellow or grey, with long black talons. Like many raptors, the female is slightly larger than the male. Immature birds have brown plumage, which is gradually replaced by white over 5-6 years until the adult plumage is obtained.The lifespan is 20 years and the adults weigh 1.8-4.5kg and are 66-90cm in length. The wingspan is 1.9 to 2.2 metres. The mature juveniles are a similar size to the adults. Adult Juvenile Mature juveniles from below Juvenile from above Adult from below Adult with a fish Juvenile from below Distribution White-be