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White-bellied Sea Eagle learning to fish

on 27th April 2008

A White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) was documented by Wei Chun a.k.a. speedblade, catching a fish around Bukit Panjang (above). Apparently, the eagle was not very experienced in catching fish. Or was it a bad day for the bird?

This eagle is an opportunistic feeder, catching a wide range of mainly aquatic vertebrates, including reptiles, fish, birds and mammals. It also takes carrion, floating refuse and wastes in rubbish dumps.

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It usually hunts from a high perch by the water. Once a prey is spotted, the bird zooms down and grabs it with one foot (above left). It may barely break the water surface but occasionally it may become totally or partially submerged, as in this case (above right).

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The four powerful toes armed with strongly curved, sharp claws allow the bird to grasp prey, especially slippery fish. And it did grab the fish when it landed in the water (above). The under surface of the toes have folds and/or bumps to make it easy to grasp slippery prey, but somehow the fish slipped from the eagle’s grasp (above right) and fell into the water (below left).

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Undeterred, the eagle tried again (above right). In fact it tried at least six times before it finally had the fish firmly in its talons, flying off to its perch to feast.

All images by Wei Chun.

This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

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