Birds and wildlife

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicillaGroup: Kites, hawks and eaglesUK Conservation status:Amber

How to identify

The White-tailed Eagle is the largest UK bird of prey. It has brown body plumage with a conspicuously pale head and neck, which can be almost white in older birds, and the tail feathers of adults are white. In flight it has massive broad wings with 'fingered' ends. Its head protrudes and it has a wedge-shaped tail. This Schedule 1 species went extinct in the UK during the early 20th century, due to illegal killing, and the present population is descended from reintroduced birds. Schedule 1 protection means it is illegal to disturb this species.

Call

White-tailed Eagle

Jarek Matusiak / xeno-canto

Key features to look out for

  • A massive, heavy-set bird of prey – the UK’s biggest 
  • Brown body with a noticeably pale head and neck, which can become almost white in older birds 
  • Enormous, broad wings – much broader than a Golden Eagle’s – with fingered ends  
  • Huge, chunky yellow beak (dark in juveniles) and yellow feet 
  • Adults have white tail feathers, as their name suggests 
  • Soars with wings held flat, rather than in a ‘V’ shape like Golden Eagles 
White-tailed Eagle about to land on grassland.
White-tailed Eagle
What’s that bird of prey

From tiny Merlins to enormous White-tailed Eagles, the UK’s birds of prey come in all shapes and sizes. These masterful predators are a real treat to see, but they’re often super-fast and many species look quite similar, which can make identifying them a challenge. In this guide, we share some simple ID tips to help you.

Where to see them

White-tailed Eagles are also known as Sea Eagles, which gives a clue to their preferred habitat – coasts. Like Golden Eagles, they suffered high levels of persecution and as a result their range was limited to the west coast of Scotland and the Scottish Islands, but they have recently been reintroduced to the Isle of Wight and are now much more visible in England, especially along the south coast.

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Where best to see them

A White Tailed Eagle in flight
Behaviour

When soaring, their enormous wings look almost rectangular, giving White-tailed Eagles their nickname of ‘flying barn doors’. Unlike Golden Eagles, they will catch fish, so you might spot them plunging their talons into the sea or a lake to pluck out a meal. They also eat rabbits, hares and other mammals, as well as birds, such as gulls and ducks, and carrion. 

Key facts