2 White-bellied Sea-Eagle at Yarrow, NSW
Identification history
| Haliaeetus leucogaster | 28 Apr 2023 | Liam.m | ||
| Haliaeetus leucogaster | 27 Apr 2023 | jb2602 |
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3 comments
jb2602
wrote:
27 Apr 2023
Viewed from a kayak whilst paddling on Googong Reservoir. Closer examination shows that the left wing feathers are ruffled, there is a wound half way along the left wing edge and the left leg is being nursed. It allowed us to get very close which is unusual for a Sea Eagle but it must still be able to fly to be where it was. The left leg may be broken. Maybe hit by a car?
jb2602
wrote:
27 Apr 2023
Comment from Adam Hardy, Raptor Care N W (Tasmania):
This injury looks very fresh and is a very common spot for an injury. I've always thought that injuries in this place are a lack of self awareness with their own size (particularly wingspan)
That wrist area is commonly knocked when hunting, whether it be chasing a Hare into a fence or knocking wings on rocks at Sea Gull rookeries. Not only confined to WBSE either - Wedgies regularly come in with injuries in the same place. I've even seen Eagles returning to nests with thick vegetation / branches in the way of their access point to the nest and come severely unstuck.
There are some bones in that area, that if damaged well it's usually the end of the Eagle's future, particularly around the metacarpus and phalanx areas. Smaller bones in this area are always more prone to damage and usually never heal well. In saying all this though, if this Bird is flying okay then she should be fine. Summer time might be different as the injury could get fly blown and also with infection.
With the leg, I often see Eagles (in fact most Raptors) perched Like this) with the leg semi extended. If it didn't move its leg for the whole duration of the period you observed it may very well have a broken leg like you suggested though. Let's hope not. If this is a bird regularly observed by people perhaps someone could keep an eye on it.
This injury looks very fresh and is a very common spot for an injury. I've always thought that injuries in this place are a lack of self awareness with their own size (particularly wingspan)
That wrist area is commonly knocked when hunting, whether it be chasing a Hare into a fence or knocking wings on rocks at Sea Gull rookeries. Not only confined to WBSE either - Wedgies regularly come in with injuries in the same place. I've even seen Eagles returning to nests with thick vegetation / branches in the way of their access point to the nest and come severely unstuck.
There are some bones in that area, that if damaged well it's usually the end of the Eagle's future, particularly around the metacarpus and phalanx areas. Smaller bones in this area are always more prone to damage and usually never heal well. In saying all this though, if this Bird is flying okay then she should be fine. Summer time might be different as the injury could get fly blown and also with infection.
With the leg, I often see Eagles (in fact most Raptors) perched Like this) with the leg semi extended. If it didn't move its leg for the whole duration of the period you observed it may very well have a broken leg like you suggested though. Let's hope not. If this is a bird regularly observed by people perhaps someone could keep an eye on it.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.272721-35.465918
- Maps Googong Foreshore Googong Reservoir
- Places Yarrow, NSW
Sighting information
- 1 - 3 Abundance
- 25 Apr 2023 01:05 PM Recorded on
- jb2602 Recorded by
Species information
- Haliaeetus leucogaster Scientific name
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Vulnerable *
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 825m Recorded at altitude
- 488 images trained Machine learning
- External link More information
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Synonyms
Icthyophaga leucogaster
Record quality
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes
