- 17 active nesting locations of White-bellied Sea Eagle in Kannur & Kasaragod (northern Kerala districts) were recorded at annual nest monitoring survey.
- Also called the white-breasted sea eagle, it is a large diurnal bird of prey (hunts mainly during daylight hours), belonging to the Accipitridae family (which also includes hawks and kites).
- Habitat Preference: It mainly occupies land areas close to sea (coastlines, islands and estuaries) but can also be found in forested regions, provided there is access to lakes, rivers, or other small water bodies.
- Geographical Distribution It has a wide Indo-Pacific range. It occurs across India, Sri Lanka, Andaman Island, southern China, the Philippines, Wallacea, Australia, etc.
- Physical Characteristics
- Sexual dimorphism: Females are slightly larger than males. It helps to reduce competition for food between the sexes.
- Communication Behaviour: They communicate via vocalization (loud vocal calls). These sounds are used to mark territory, contact partners, and interact with young birds.
- Feeding Habits: Carnivorous – feeds mainly on aquatic animals (fish, eels & crustaceans)
- Ecological Role: It functions as an apex predator in coastal ecosystems. Being at top of the food chain, its population reflects overall condition of marine and coastal habitats (indicator species).
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN status).
