Bird

White-tailed Sea Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Also known as White-tailed Eagle, Erne, Eurasian Sea Eagle, Gray Sea Eagle

White-tailed sea eagles soar over coastal cliffs, wetlands, and large rivers on broad, barn-door wings with deeply slotted primary feathers. These massive apex predators construct enormous stick nests in dominant trees or on cliff ledges, expanding the same eyrie over decades. They feed opportunistically by snatching fish from water surfaces, stealing prey from other waterfowl, or scavenging carcasses during winter.

RaptorApex PredatorCoastal

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Least ConcernConservation status

Key facts

Diet & preyFish, Waterfowl, Carrion

ThreatsLead poisoning, wind turbine collisions, habitat loss

HabitatsCoastal cliffs, fjords, lakes, rivers, wetlands

Life span20–25 years

Classification

OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyAccipitridae
GenusHaliaeetus
SpeciesHaliaeetus albicilla

Range & activity

Range data is not available yet.

Safe observation

Interaction riskLow

Low
Moderate
High
Very high

Why interaction risk is low: Safe to observe from a distance; do not approach nests or handle injured birds.
What to notice: Recognizable by its massive rectangular wingspan, heavy yellow bill, and bright white wedge-shaped tail.
Support conservation: Give nesting trees and cliff sites a wide berth of several hundred meters and never fly drones near eagles.

Responsible observation

Keep Distance: Maintain at least 300 meters from active nesting sites to prevent adult desertion.
Use Optics: Scan coastlines, lake shores, and open ice using a spotting scope or binoculars.
Watch Winter Roosts: Look for gatherings near open water bodies or deer carcasses during winter.