Eagles

The Wedge-tailed Eagle is the most common eagle in Australia and has the widest range. It is an obvious sight across open country, easily identifiable by its huge size and distinctive tail. They are often flushed on the road as they feed on roadkill and can also be seen perching on posts and poles. Very shy of humans, they will move away immediately if you stop to try to get a better look at them.  

You can see from the photos that they have huge talons but are very agile. The bill is equally as large to rip open prey.

Juvenile Wedge-tailed Eagles are golden and dark brown and can be confused with young White-bellied Sea Eagles. They develop darker feathers with age and adults appear almost black.  This bird allowed me to approach slowly and there was another close by so I think they were a nesting pair. This eagle builds a huge nest made up of branches rather than sticks. Once built, they may reuse it for many years. 

The White-bellied Sea Eagle is our last eagle of Australia. It is found across coastal areas of Australia, as well as into Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Like the other eagles, it is obvious to identify with bright white and grey plumage. It can also be found some way inland hunting across large bodies of water. 

While this eagle will take fish from the surface, it will also hunt for small mammals. I have seen one try to take juvenile Magpie Goose but the commotion that caused amongst the other waterbirds saved the young waterbird.