Steller's Sea-eagle ( Haliaeetus pelagicus )
Steller's Sea-eagle - Steller's Sea-eagle information - Steller's Sea-eagle facts
The Stellar´s Sea eagle is the heaviest eagle in the world and one of the largest raptors overall. The length size ranges from 87 to 105 cm (34-41 inches) and the wingspan ranges from 202-241 cm (6.8-8 feet). The females are heavier than the males weighing from 6.8 to 9 kg (15-20 lb) while the males weigh from 4.9 to 6 kg ( 10.8-13.2 lb ). This eagle has got predominantly a brown plumage. The shoulders and the tail are white. The area in front of the nose and the beginning of the bill are white as well. The rest of the strong bill is yellow.
Haliaeetus pelagicus is distributed in the western coast of the Bering sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. During winter it can be found further south as far as Korea or Japan. The breeding generally takes place on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Sea of Okhotsk, along the Amur River and on northern Sakhalin and Shatar in Russia. It inhabits coastal and rivers´ areas with a lot of fish. This is also the reason why it is not so much spread in inland areas. It also inhabits forested river valleys,which provide enough of possibilities for tree nesting. It nests in large trees but also on the cliffs.Haliaeetus pelagicus feeds mostly on large fish - dead or alive, especially the Pacific Salmon. Furthermore it feeds on other animals, rodents and scavenge.
These eagles are monogamous. The female lays eggs in a large nest in April / May. The incubation takes approximately seven weeks and fledging about ten weeks. These days there are about 5 000 birds in the world and unfortunately this number declines. Therefore this animal is put into a vulnerable conservation status. This is caused by over-fishing, hunting and industrial development, which reduces their natural habitat.
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