White-bellied sea-eagle

This spectacular eagle has a white head, rump and underparts, dark or slate-grey back and wings and an awe-inspiring wingspan of up to 2.2 metres.

Where

At Booderee you’ll often be lucky enough to sight it soaring over the beach and sea or perched high in trees. Jervis Bay is a stronghold for the sea eagle with large numbers of juvenile birds entering the bay during autumn. To watch this mighty bird head to the Cape St George Lighthouse - you can often catch this bird using the shadows from the cliffs to avoid being see by potential prey. You will also spot them flying on the arms of all our rangers, as the emblem of Booderee National Park!

Feeding

The white-bellied sea-eagle hunts mainly aquatic animals, grasping fish from the surface of the water. An expert hunter, when fishing on sunny days, it will often fly directly into the sun or at right angles to it to avoid casting shadows over the water and hence alerting potential prey. It will also take birds such as little penguins and shearwaters, as well as small mammals. Look out for it harassing smaller birds, forcing them to drop any food that they are carrying.

Breeding

Nests are made up of large piles of sticks in trees or sometimes on the ground on Bowen Island. The female carries out most of the incubation of the white eggs, but the male performs this duty from time to time.

Sounds

A loud gooselike honking.