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Steller's Sea-Eagle

Haliaeetus pelagicusOrder: FALCONIFORMESFamily: Kites, Eagles and Hawks (Accipitridae)

Steller's Sea-Eagle Portrait
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General

Steller's Sea-Eagle: Large eagle, mostly black except for white forehead, shoulders, rump, lower belly, and leg feathers. Bill is large, heavy, and orange. Tail is long, white, and wedge-shaped. Sexes are similar. Juvenile lacks white shoulders, end of tail is dark. Rare visitor to Alaska.

Range and Habitat

Steller's Sea-Eagle: Rare vagrant to the Aleutian and other Alaskan islands. Breeds along the north Pacific coast of Asia from Bering Sea coast south to Kamchatka peninsula and north coast of Sea of Okhotsk. Spends winters south to Korea and Japanese island of Hokkaido. Found along coasts and large rivers.

Voice Text

"ra-ra-ra-raurau"

Interesting Facts

 The Steller's Sea Eagle was named for the noted 18th-century zoologist Georg Wilhelm Steller. They are also known as the Pacific or White-shouldered Eagle.

 They are unique among all sea eagles in having a yellow bill even in juvenile birds, and possessing 14, not 12, rectrices. They are also the heaviest eagle in the world, averaging about 15 lbs.

 This species is classified as Vulnerable. The main threats to its survival are habitat alteration, industrial pollution and over-fishing. The current population is estimated at 5,000 and decreasing.

 A group of Steller's Sea-Eagles are collectively known as a "constellation" of sea-eagles.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Steller's Sea-Eagle
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Eagle (Accipitridae)_blue
Species Haliaeetus pelagicus
Length42 - 45 Inches
Wingspan7.5 Inches

Steller's Sea-Eagle

Steller's Sea-Eagle: Large eagle, mostly black except for white forehead, shoulders, rump, lower belly, and leg feathers. Bill is large, heavy, and orange. Legs and feet are yellow. Tail is long, white, and wedge-shaped. Rare visitor to Alaska. Alternates deep wing beats with short to long glides.

● Song: "ra-ra-ra-raurau"

● Foraging & Feeding: Steller's Sea-Eagle: Eats mainly fish and birds but also seal pups and hares.

● Breeding & nesting: Steller's Sea-Eagle: One to three white eggs, slightly tinted green, are laid in a large nest made of sticks and branches, built up to 100 feet above the ground, usually at top of a tree; nest may be up to 8 feet across and 12 feet thick. Female incubates eggs for 38 to 45 days.

● Similar species: Steller's Sea-Eagle: Bald and White-tailed eagles are smaller, have pale heads, smaller bills, more rounded wingtips, and lack white patches on wings.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several deep flaps with glides.
Steller's Sea-Eagle Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Steller's Sea-Eagle: Rare vagrant to the Aleutian and other Alaskan islands. Breeds along the north Pacific coast of Asia from Bering Sea coast south to Kamchatka peninsula and north coast of Sea of Okhotsk. Spends winters south to Korea and Japanese island of Hokkaido. Found along coasts and large rivers.
BreedingMonogamous, Mates for life
PopulationAccidental to casual
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight273.6 Ounces