The white-tailed sea eagle of the order Ornithopodium is a large bird of prey. The IUCN has listed it as an endangered species and is a first-class national protected animal in China. Due to its powerful and ferocious attack, it is at the top of the natural food chain.
The white-tailed sea eagle is a giant eagle that lives in Eurasia. It is genetically closely related to the American national bird bald eagle. Considered a symbol of Polish culture and history, it is regarded as the national bird of Poland and is printed on the Polish coat of arms.
The average body length of the white-tailed sea eagle is 84-91 cm, the wingspan is 178-245 cm, and the average weight is 4-7 kg. Adults are mostly dark brown, with lanceolate feathers on the hind neck and forebreast, light-colored head and neck feathers, yellow beaks and feet, and wedge-shaped tail feathers that look like pure white.
The white-tailed sea eagle is not much different from other birds and eagles in appearance, but it is larger than the golden eagle. As one of the most powerful birds of prey, it can easily suppress other birds, killing seagulls, herons, storks, goshawks, known as the tiger in the air, the overlord of the sky. Sometimes it is considered the fourth largest eagle in the world and ranks fourth in the world in terms of average weight.
Islands, lakes, coasts and other areas are the habitat of the white-tailed sea eagle. White-tailed eagles are powerful predators capable of attacking large prey, but like most predators, they prefer to prey that is easy to catch.
The main food source of the white-tailed sea eagle is fish in the seawater. When hunting, they will reduce the flight altitude. Sharp eyes can always see and catch prey at the first time, and sharp claws ensure that the white-tailed sea eagle can quickly catch prey in the water. Birds and foxes, jackals and hares, and even seal pups, are targets for their predation, and they also eat carrion and animal carcasses.
Normally, the white-tailed sea eagle is the largest eagle in its territory and the top predator in its territory. However, in some areas, it also competes with other large birds of prey, especially the Golden Eagle. When two air overlords meet, there is fierce competition between the two species.
Studies have also proved that the golden eagle is inferior in the competition with the white-tailed sea eagle, which has led to the golden eagle never daring to build a nest near the territory of the white-tailed sea eagle.
At the same time, white-tailed sea eagles are considered to have an "advantage" in population ecology because they can live at higher population densities, often outnumbering golden eagles in the same area. Moreover, the white-tailed sea eagle has a longer intestine, a more efficient digestive system, and can live better if it eats less.
After a long period of breeding, the white-tailed sea eagle gradually differentiates into two subspecies. The Greenland subspecies is one of them, distributed in southwest iceland and Greenland. Experts believe the white-tailed sea eagle of the Greenland subspecies should be a separate species. But on the timescale of evolution, more unique genetic traits have not been accumulated, and there is some controversy because of the scarcity of quantities.
There is also a named subspecies, which is mainly distributed in the northeast, Hebei, Hailar, and the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in Inner Mongolia. The appearance of this named subspecies is similar to that of the jade belt sea eagle, the main difference being that the tail of the white-tailed sea eagle is all white.
As one of the rare eagles in the world, the white-tailed sea eagle has never stopped being studied by scientists. Long ago, experts found the death of a large number of white-tailed sea eagles unusual.
Scientists believe that protective measures must be implemented as soon as possible to increase the number of white-tailed sea eagles. White-tailed sea eagles are rare and distributed in various regions. However, due to some external reasons, there are large differences in quantity between different regions, which require multi-regional and all-round protection.
Such as delineating protected areas, establishing game reserves, cracking down on illegal and criminal activities, and establishing international organizations. Through practical and effective means to protect the safety of natural ecology, to provide a more suitable habitat for the white-tailed sea eagle.