What is the scientific name of the white-bellied sea eagle?
Q: What is the scientific name of the white-bellied sea eagle?
A: The scientific name of the white-bellied sea eagle is Haliaeetus leucogaster.
Q: How does this bird differ from Sanford's sea eagle?
A: The white-bellied sea eagle is closely related to Sanford's sea eagle, which can be found in the Solomon Islands. However, they are distinct species with different physical characteristics and behaviors.
Q: What does the white-bellied sea eagle look like?
A: The white-bellied sea eagle has a distinctive appearance, with a white belly, head, breast, underwing coverts and tail. Its upper parts are grey and its black underwing flight feathers contrast with the white coverts. It also has a short wedge-shaped tail like all Haliaeetus species.
Q: How large is this bird?
A: The female of this species can reach up to 90 cm (35 in) long with a wingspan of up to 2.2 m (7.2 ft), and weigh 4.5 kg (9.9 lb). Males are slightly smaller than females on average but still quite large birds overall.
Q: Where does it live?
A: The white-bellied sea eagle lives in India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to Australia on coasts and major waterways near water sources where it breeds and hunts for food such as fish which make up around half of its diet..
Q: What kind of threats does it face?
A: Human disturbance to its habitat is considered one of the main threats facing this species, causing declines in some areas such as South Australia and Tasmania where it is classified as Vulnerable or Threatened respectively according to conservation status assessments by IUCN Red List .
Q: Is there any cultural significance associated with this bird?
A: Yes! This bird holds great cultural significance for many indigenous people in Australia who revere it highly and have various folk tales about it throughout its range
