Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
White-tailed Eagle

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

The White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), sometimes referred to as the Sea Eagle, is a large bird of prey found across temperate Eurasia. It is a member of the Accipitridae family, which includes other diurnal raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers. This species is one of up to eleven members in the genus Haliaeetus, commonly known as sea eagles. It is also known by various names such as the ern, erne, gray sea eagle, and Eurasian sea eagle.

Identification Tips

Adult White-tailed Eagles are distinguished by their greyish mid-brown plumage, paler head, neck, and upper breast, and a characteristic white tail. The bare parts of the body, including the bill, cere, feet, and eyes, are yellow. Juveniles are much darker brown with uneven white mottling, particularly on the underside and under-wing. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being larger than males.

Habitat

White-tailed Eagles typically inhabit areas near large bodies of open water, including coastal saltwater regions and inland freshwater lakes, wetlands, bogs, and rivers. They require old-growth trees or ample sea cliffs for nesting.

Distribution

The White-tailed Eagle's breeding range extends from Greenland and Iceland across Europe to as far east as Hokkaido, Japan. They are often scarce and spottily distributed as a nesting species, mainly due to human activities.

Behaviour

White-tailed Eagles are both powerful apex predators and opportunistic scavengers. They may migrate or disperse based on seasonal changes, with juveniles being more migratory than adults. The species is territorial, with pairs frequently engaging in aerial displays during the breeding season.

Song & Calls

The White-tailed Eagle is vocal during the breeding season, with calls varying between males and females. Calls include a series of "gri-gri-gri" or "krick-krick-krick" for males and a deeper "gra-gra-gra-gra" or "krau-krau-krau-krau" for females.

Breeding

White-tailed Eagles form lifelong pairs and breed in large nests constructed of sticks and branches. They typically lay two eggs, which are incubated primarily by the female. The species reaches sexual maturity at 5-6 years of age.

Similar Species

The White-tailed Eagle may be confused with the Bald Eagle and Steller's Sea Eagle, but differences in plumage and size are usually apparent. The species may also be mistaken for the Griffon Vulture at a distance due to vaguely similar coloring.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the White-tailed Eagle is varied and includes fish, birds, and mammals. They are known to hunt by forcing diving birds to repeatedly submerge until exhausted and can also scavenge carrion.

Conservation Status

The White-tailed Eagle was once considered endangered or extinct in several countries but has recovered well in some populations due to governmental protections, conservation efforts, and reintroduction programs. The species is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

White-tailed Eagle Fun Facts

Did you know?
The White-tailed Eagle is the national bird of Poland
Did you know?
At 1.78 to 2.45 m (5 ft 10 in to 8 ft 0 in), White-tailed Eagles have the widest wingspan of all eagles.

White-tailed Eagles on Birda

Sightings

More Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.