Haliaeetus leucogaster
Silhouette: Ron Holmes/U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (source photo), T. Michael Keesey (vectorization) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
The white-bellied sea eagle (Icthyophaga leucogaster), also known as the white-breasted sea eagle, is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Originally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it is closely related to Sanford's sea eagle of the Solomon Islands, and the two are considered a superspecies. A distinctive bird, the adult white-bellied sea eagle has a white head, breast, under-wing coverts and tail. The upper parts are grey and the black under-wing flight feathers contrast with the white coverts. The tail is short and wedge-shaped as in all Haliaeetinae species. Like many raptors, the female is larger than the male, and can measure up to 90 cm (35 in) long with a wingspan of up to 2.2 m (7.2 ft), and weigh 4.5 kg (9.9 lb). Immature birds have brown plumage, which is gradually replaced by white until the age of five or six years. The call is a loud goose-like honking.
Resident from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to Australia on coasts and major waterways, the white-bellied sea eagle breeds and hunts near water, and fish form around half of its diet. Opportunistic, it consumes carrion and a wide variety of animals. Although rated as Least Concern globally, it has declined in parts of southeast Asia such as Thailand, and southeastern Australia. It is ranked as Threatened in Victoria and Vulnerable in South Australia and Tasmania. Human disturbance to its habitat is the main threat, both from direct human activity near nests which impacts on breeding success, and from removal of suitable trees for nesting. The white-bellied sea eagle is revered by indigenous people in many parts of Australia, and is the subject of various folk tales throughout its range. Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 2 | Johor Bahru | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 4 | Brisbane | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Denpasar | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 6 | Kuala Lumpur | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 7 | Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Jakarta | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 9 | Hobart | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Visakhapatnam | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZooParc de Beauval | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Bali Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Safari World | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 4 | National Zoo of Malaysia | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Lok Kawi Wildlife Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 7 | Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 8 | Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Parndana Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Gembira Loka Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 11 | Surabaya Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 12 | Bandung Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 13 | Bird Paradise | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 14 | Thiruvananthapuram Zoo | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 15 | Rainforest Wild Asia | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 16 | National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 17 | Australian Reptile Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 18 | Albay Park and Wildlife | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 19 | Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 20 | Bali Bird Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 21 | Davao Crocodile Park & Zoo | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 22 | Farm in the City | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 23 | Penang Bird Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 24 | Singapore Oceanarium | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 25 | Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-Bellied Sea-Eagle sighting in Rottnest Island on a given day, based on 26 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 53rd most-seen of the 81 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a White-Bellied Sea-Eagle in Rottnest Island on a given day, against under 5% in September–October and December–April, the lowest months. That is one of Rottnest Island's wettest months, with about 100 mm of rain against 5 mm in December.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-Bellied Sea-Eagle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
27th of 39
Of the 39 parks where we can rate White-Bellied Sea-Eagle sightings, Rottnest Island ranks 27th at about 10%. The best odds are in Komodo National Park (Indonesia, about 80%), Yala National Park (Sri Lanka, about 50%) and Bako National Park (Malaysia, about 50%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle is recorded against all the birds logged in Rottnest Island (26 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
