Sea eagle
Sea eagles are a group of large birds of prey known for their affinity for aquatic environments, residing near rivers, lakes, and oceans across most of the world, excluding South America and Antarctica. These birds, often referred to as fish eagles, primarily feed on fish but also scavenge, playing a crucial role in their ecosystems by helping to clean up animal remains. There are around ten recognized species of sea eagles, including the well-known bald eagle and the white-tailed eagle, which vary significantly in size and habitat preferences. Sea eagles are characterized by their impressive wingspans, sharp talons, and powerful beaks, enabling them to catch and consume their prey effectively.
These raptors typically construct large nests near water and exhibit interesting behavioral traits such as lifelong monogamy and shared parental duties. Unfortunately, many sea eagle species face threats primarily from human activities, including hunting and habitat destruction, along with contamination of their food sources. Conservation efforts have been implemented to protect these majestic birds, yet some species remain critically endangered, highlighting the need for continued awareness and action to ensure their survival.
Subject Terms
Sea eagle
Sea eagle is a category that includes multiple species of large birds of prey that live near large bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, or oceans. Different species of these birds are found throughout the world, except for South America and Antarctica. Sea eagles are also known as fish eagles or fishing eagles because of their primary food source. Although they often choose fish, most sea eagles are also scavengers. This makes them an important part of the ecosystem because they help remove the remains of animals that have been killed as prey or died of natural causes. Some species of eagles are or have been endangered. This is usually the result of human actions such as hunting or the use of pesticides that contaminate the eagles’ food sources.
Background
The word “eagle” comes from the Middle English and Anglo-Norman word egle, which came from the Latin word aquila.It meant “black bird,” or “dark-colored bird.” Some eagles are also called erns or ernes.
About sixty known species of eagles live throughout the world. They are in the Accipitridae family, which generally refers to any bird of prey large enough to pick up a fish or an animal that is longer than 20 inches (50 centimeters. Sea eagles are mostly from the subfamily Haliaeetinae.
Some of the most recognizable and best-known varieties of eagles are sea eagles, and these birds have long been important symbols of power in cultural and religious settings. They feature prominently in heraldry designs for coats of arms and official government seals. For example, the bald eagle, a type of sea eagle, is part of the official seal of the United States and is frequently pictured on coins and other objects. Sea eagles have also played an important role in religious and spiritual practices. Known as the king of birds, they are associated with the Greek god Zeus, among others. Native Americans revere eagles, especially the bald and golden eagles, and associate them with the power, strength, and the healing abilities of the Great Spirit.
Overview
Of the sixty species of eagles found worldwide, ten are classified as sea eagles. They are the
African fish-eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Gray-headed fish-eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
Lesser fish-eagle Ichthyophaga humilis
Madagascar fish-eagle Haliaeetus vociferoides
Pallas’s fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus
Sanford’s sea-eagle Haliaeetus sanfordi
Steller’s sea-eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus
White-bellied sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
White-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
The Haliaeetus subfamily is thought to be one of the oldest families of birds still in existence. Some sources exclude the gray-headed fish eagle and the lesser fish-eagle from the list of sea eagles because they are of the subfamily Ichthyophaga instead of Haliaeetus. However, other sources include them because they meet all other characteristics of sea eagles. The bald eagle is generally the best known and most easily recognizable sea eagle because of the distinctive white feathers on its head and neck and its prominence in American symbology.
Characteristics
Sea eagles vary in size and weight, depending on the species. In general, however, they are the largest birds on Earth. Some reach a height of about 3.3 feet (1 meter) and have a wingspan as large as 8 feet (2.5 meters). The largest sea eagle is the white-tailed eagle. Found in Europe, it weighs about 15 pounds (7 kilograms), though individual birds can weigh more. The bald eagle is the largest North American bird, weighing about 14 pounds (6.5 kilograms). Female eagles are generally larger than males.
Sea eagles have featherless legs that end in sharp talons that enable them to catch and tear apart prey. Their large, arched beaks are also powerful and sharp, well-suited for slicing through their prey. The bird’s names often reference their most distinctive features, such as the bald eagle’s prominent head feathers and the white-tailed eagle’s all-dark body and white tail feathers. These birds can reach a top air speed of more than 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour). They live an average of twenty years in the wild, though some types of sea eagles live considerably longer.
Habits and Habitat
Sea eagles build large nests in tall trees near a water source. This keeps them close to fish, a staple of their diet, although they also eat smaller birds, rodents, reptiles, and amphibians. They also scavenge from dead animal bodies and are not above stealing prey caught by other animals, in particular ospreys.
When an eagle fishes, it dives into the water and catches the prey in its powerful talons or beak. If it grabs something too heavy to lift from the water, it may use its wings to swim to shore. A sea eagle can also eat more than its stomach can hold because it has a pouch inside its chest known as a crop. The crop holds any excess food that the sea eagle consumes until enough food is digested for the stomach to have room.
Sea eagles mate for life, though if their mate dies, they will choose a new one. The female and male also share parenting responsibilities, with each sitting on the eggs in the month-long incubation period and tending to the young eaglets when they hatch. The eaglets remain in the nest for up to thirteen weeks until they are ready for their first full flight, called a fledgling flight. While adult eagles have few natural enemies, their eggs and baby eaglets are vulnerable, especially to raccoons. Although the eaglet will be able to fly after several months, it takes up to five years before they reach full maturity. At that time, they will have their adult feather coloring and be able to reproduce.
Humans are the main threat to adult sea eagles. Some species, including the bald eagle, became endangered because of hunting and the use of pesticides, which made their way into water and contaminated the fish and other animals that the eagles ate. As a result, the eagles laid eggs with shells too thin to sustain the growing eaglet inside. Conservation steps and laws to protect eagles have greatly reduced these risks. However, it is estimated that only about eighty Madagascan fish eagles are left, making them one of the rarest birds on Earth.
Bibliography
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"Sea Eagle." Britannica, 25 Oct. 2024, www.britannica.com/animal/sea-eagle. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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Woodford, Riley. “Eagle Flight and Other Myths: Eagles Don’t Eat Children or Pets.” Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Jan. 2008, www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view‗article&articles‗id=343. Accessed 9 Aug. 2022.