Scientific name:
Halieetus

Natural spread:
global occurrences

to the biggest and most impressive gripping-birds is fitting the sea-eagles from the group of the Bussardartigen. It is (with exception of means and South America) widespread inhabitants of the Meeresküsten, inner-seas and big river-runs world-wide, who hunt often quite big fish, waterfowls and mammals. Also dead vertebrates and various washed up invertebrate are consumed by sea-eagles. All sea-eagle-types hunt also properly gladly and very skillfully different griffins (particularly ospreys) and other as a fisher specialized birds its loot-animals from. Particularly on fish-food, however, the white-head-sea-eagle (Haliaeëtus leucocephalus) given as coat of arms-bird of the USA as well as 2 with the sea-eagles of the type Haliaeëtus put "Fishing Eagles" hot into its spread-area for itself taken away relatives big gripping-birds, for who "sea-eagles" are also admittedly called in the German.

Types The type Haliaeëtus included: it already mentioned, until 84 cm long white-head-sea-eagles of North America; the Eurasian sea-eagle somewhat bigger with at most approximately 90 cm of total-length (H). albicilla; the giant-sea-eagle long until 110 cm (H). pelagicus, whose brood-areas lies at the coasts Nordostsibiriens (as far as to Korea); the white-bandages or bandage-sea-eagle long until 84 cm (H). leucocryphus, from southeast-Russia and inner-Asia (from cashmere and Punjab to the south of as far as after Assam and Burma); it in exceptions until white-stomach-sea-eagles long (usually approximately 71 cm of total-length) to 84 cm (H). leucogaster, from the coasts of the southern Asia, New Guinea and Australia (here, female animals become accordingly big from time to time) as well as this of the previous type close to relatives, somewhat smaller Salomonen-Seeadler (H). sanfordi, that broods exclusively on the Salomoninseln.

The scream-sea-eagle African until 72 cm long (H). vocifer, and a very similar, only somewhat differently colored type of Madagascar (H). vociferoides, is put by some authors into an independent type (Cuncuma).

Physique All sea-eagles, with exception of the Salomonen-Seeadlers, have a brown, gray or black plumage with light-gray or white put down head as adult animals, neck, tail and stomach-parts. Only in the age of 4-5 years, sea-eagles molt the final old-age-dress; in the youth-dress, dark color-shades predominate. The big wings are very broadly and work almost rectangularly through the Handschwingen ("energy-feathers") quite short in the relationship to the Armschwingen. The push with 12 tax-feathers (only with giant-sea-eagles 14) is more rounded wedge-shaped or strong in contrast to the "real" eagles (type Aquila). The mighty one, at its basis exactly and only in the fore part powerfully bent beak (with H). albicilla up to 6,5 cm of length of the feather-base as far as to the top, another typical characteristic of the sea-eagles is. its big, powerful catches - to the catch of the smooth fish - have a very rough underside and very long, strongly bent claws with a furrow on the inner side. Sea-eagles part themselves from other eagles from shorter distance also at hand its only half befiederten lutes distinguishes. Both sexes resemble from, however female sea-eagles usually clearly become bigger.

Actual sea-eagle (Haliaeëtus albicilla)) With spans by 2,4 m and a weight of maximum 4,6 kg (males) until 6,9 kg (females, a youthful copy surged 7,5 kg), this gripping-bird is to be hardly confused with any other bird Europe. U distinguish the sea-eagle from the stone-eagle. a. the above presented characteristics. Fully full-grown copies have a white tail and sometimes also very light-gray head-plumage, they then resemble strongly the North American type.

Continuance Sea-eagles were widespread brood-birds also in Western Europe and Germany earlier. Through direct prosecution, annihilation of the brood-biotopes and contamination of the environment through insecticides is sea-eagles largely exterminated in the western federal states today. Also in the remaining Europe, the sea-eagle-continuance is very strongly endangered unfortunately and rapid in the decline understood. Somewhat more favorably, the situation is in the eastern federal states, here above all in Mecklenburg, today.

For the other sea-eagle-types, it went and doesn't take a turn it much better unfortunately; particularly the inglorious one, even if partially unintentional, annihilation of the continuances of the white-head-sea-eagle of the USA - u. a. through the notorious DDT - the knowledge of the public ultimately roused. Only the complete protection of all sea-eagle-continuances and a reasoned application of chemical insecticides can possibly slow down the decline at least this gripping-bird so great for the ecological interplay.

Brood-biology Sea-eagles become sexually mature with approximately 5 years and live together in "duration-marriage." Is chosen brood-precinct once one sea-eagle-pair leaves in Central Europe (stand-birds) only against winter-beginning for longer time; undertaking the more northern and eastern populations than line and migratory birds more or less stretches wintry hikes. According to habitat, sea-eagles erect its eyries at quite different locations. Especially gladly, they select high, old trees at the edge of bigger forest-areas, where unhindered it at - and can take off. The mighty nest (usually 2-4 or also more change-eyries in a precinct) is erected densely at the trunk, with what the sea-eagles use from time to time already existing small gripping-bird or raven-eyries as "foundation." New nests measure approximately 1,2-1,5 m in the diameter and are 0,5-0,8 m high, while 2 m of diameter old, often repaired and widened sea-eyries, 3-5 m of height and 600 kg of weight can reach.

The nest consists of 1-3 rough-stale-y ones, usually ungefleckten white eggs (7,5 x 5,8 cm) and becomes from both partners or mainly from the female bird 35-42 days from the first egg on incubated (Legeabstand 2-5 days). The brood-period begins in January and Februaries (south) - May (north / east). Young sea-eagles require 2 days to the abandonment of the egg. The nest-stools first wear a dress from long, thin and sallow-brown Dunen and train a second, dense and fleecy, dark brown colored Dunenkleid in the age of approximately 3 weeks.

In the first two weeks hudern both alto-birds its offspring; however the actual feeding is incumbent on the female mainly or exclusively while the male partner along-manages the loot, and hands over the female. In the age of approximately 70 days, the squabs leave gone ahead flight-attempts the eyrie after many to some longer practice-flights for the first time, turns up to the 84, however.-90. Life-day again and again to it back. After the final abandonment of the nest, young sea-eagles beg its parents for 4-5 weeks even further about food until these keep an eye no more gradually on the rubbish-reputations of its boys and the squabs must catch food independently.