©Amy Lewis
©Mark Hamblin/2020VISION
White-tailed eagle
The huge white-tailed eagle is our largest bird of prey. After being persecuted to extinction in the UK, it has been successfully reintroduced in Scotland and, more recently, to the Isle of Wight.
Scientific name
Haliaeetus albicillaWhen to see
January to DecemberSpecies information
Category
Statistics
Length: 80-90cmWingspan: 2.2m
Weight: 4.3-5.5kg
Average lifespan: 20-25 years
Conservation status
Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
Habitats
About
Our largest bird of prey, the white-tailed eagle is sometimes known as the 'sea eagle'. It preys on fish, mammals and small birds. As well as hunting for food, the white-tailed eagle also scavenges carrion. It was persecuted to extinction in the UK, but reintroduced from Norway during the 1970s. Today, more than 100 pairs now nest in Scotland. They build large nests in tall trees, but will also nest on rocky crags. Both parents tend to the one or two chicks that hatch each year.How to identify
A massive and impressive bird of prey, the white-tailed eagle has broader wings than the golden eagle. It is sometimes described as 'a flying barn door'. Adults have a white, wedge-shaped tail and a pale head with a huge yellow bill.Distribution
Found on the Isle of Mull, the west coast of Scotland and increasingly other parts of Scotland and the south coast of England.In our area
White-Tailed Eagle are a rare vagrant to the Isle of Man.