# White-tailed Eagle (*Haliaeetus albicilla*) The White-tailed Eagle is a large bird with a beautiful white tail. It loves to soar high in the sky and can be found near water, where it hunts for fish. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Eurasian Sea Eagle, Sea Eagle ![White-tailed Eagle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Adult_White-tailed_Eagle_defending_prey%252C_Rezerwat_Gostynin-Wloclawek%252C_Poland.jpg&width=800) Photo: Original: Andreas Weith . This edit: MPF ., CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adult_White-tailed_Eagle_defending_prey%252C_Rezerwat_Gostynin-Wloclawek%252C_Poland.jpg) ## Appearance The White-tailed Eagle is a very large brown eagle with a distinctly pale, often whitish, head and neck. Its most striking feature is a short, wedge-shaped, pure white tail in adults, which contrasts sharply with its dark body. It also has a massive, bright yellow beak. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Haliaeetus ## Interesting facts - A chick can grow from an egg to a huge bird in just over two months! - Its immense wingspan is wider than a small car is long! - Their calls sound like gulls, but much deeper and more powerful! - These majestic birds can live longer than many pet cats or dogs! ## Special abilities - **Fish-Snatching Prowess:** White-tailed Eagles have powerful, rough-soled talons that help them grip slippery fish from water with ease. - **Super Sky-Scanner:** White-tailed Eagles have incredibly sharp eyesight that helps them spot prey from very high up in the sky. - **Giant Nest Architects:** White-tailed Eagles build massive stick nests, often used for decades, that can become huge structures over a ton. - **Effortless Soarer:** White-tailed Eagles have broad wings that allow them to glide effortlessly for hours, conserving energy. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 69-92 cm - **Wingspan:** 182-245 cm - **Weight:** 3.1-6.9 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-25 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 34-40 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding These large eagles primarily feast on fish, waterbirds, and even carrion from land or sea. - **Age differences:** Juveniles rely more on carrion and easier prey while learning to hunt effectively. - **Primary Foods:** Fish (e.g., Pike), Ducks and Geese, Carrion, Small mammals, Seabirds - **Foraging Method:** Aerial Hunting ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — A common large fish prey - **Hunts:** Mallard Duck (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Frequently preys on waterbirds - **Depends on:** [Red Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-deer) (*Cervus elaphus*) — Scavenges carrion from their carcasses - **Shelter:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — Builds large nests in its strong branches ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch birds from a distance and do not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-tailed Eagle? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White-tailed Eagle? 69-92 cm ### What is White-tailed Eagle's wingspan? 182-245 cm ### How much does White-tailed Eagle weigh? 3.1-6.9 kg ### How long does White-tailed Eagle live? 20-25 years ### How fast can White-tailed Eagle move? 80 km/h ### What does White-tailed Eagle eat? These large eagles primarily feast on fish, waterbirds, and even carrion from land or sea. ### Where is White-tailed Eagle usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Insel Usedom](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/usedom-island-nature-park) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park - [Naturpark Mecklenburgische Schweiz und Kummerower See](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mecklenburgische-schweiz-kummerower-see-nature-park) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park - [Uckermärkische Seen Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/uckermaerkische-seen-nature-park) — Brandenburg, DE · Park - [Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/vorpommersche-boddenlandschaft-national-park) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park - [Biosphärenreservat Oberlausitzer Heide- und Teichlandschaft](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/biospharenreservat-oberlausitzer-heide-und-teichlandschaft) — Sachsen, DE · Park - [Biosphärenreservat Schaalsee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schaalsee-biosphere-reserve) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park [View all places to see White-tailed Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-tailed-eagle) ## Watch - [Play video: White-tailed Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/videos/white-tailed-eagle) - [YouTube](https://www.snappit.app/published_manually) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White-tailed Eagle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-eagle)