White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

What do white-tailed eagles look like?

White-tailed eagles have a distinctive pale head, neck and tail, which can become almost white in older birds. Young birds have a mix of white and brown feathers which become browner as they get older. Their feet and beak are a striking yellow, and their beak is hooked.

White-tailed eagles are the UK’s largest birds of prey, with a wingspan measuring 200–240cm across. They have fingered wings which are held flat in flight and look rectangular. Their bodies can measure between 70–90cm in length.

What do white-tailed eagles eat? 

During the breeding season, white-tailed eagles need around 500–600g of food per day. This drops down to 200–300g during winter. They mostly eat fish, rabbits, hares and other small mammals. They also eat other small birds, such as gulls and ducks. During winter, white-tailed eagles also rely on carrion, including the carcasses of lambs.

Rather than actively hunting, white-tailed eagles are sit-and-wait foragers. They can spend up to 80% of their day perched in one location, quietly waiting for prey to come close.

How do white-tailed eagles breed?

Like many birds of prey, white-tailed eagles mate for life and are very faithful to their nest site, returning to it each breeding season. Nests are usually found on a cliff ledge or in a tall tree.

They start breeding when they are four to five years old and lay two to three eggs in March or April. Females incubate the eggs until they hatch after around 38 days. 

Once the chicks hatch, females do most of the direct feeding, while males help occasionally. At around five to six weeks old, chicks learn to feed themselves and fledge at around 10 to 11 weeks. 

Where do white-tailed eagles live?

Another name for the white-tailed eagle is the sea eagle – giving us a clue about their preferred habitat. They are usually found along rocky coastlines, estuaries and lochs near the sea. But they’re not limited to coastal habitats, white-tailed eagles can also be found near wetlands, farmland and uplands.

In the UK, they can be found along the west coast of Scotland, the Scottish Islands, the Isle of Wight and along the south coast of England.

Signs and spotting tips

While white-tailed eagles can be seen year round, they can be difficult to spot. They are mostly restricted to coastal regions, are rare with only 150 breeding pairs in the UK and they spend most of their time stationary – only 7% of their time is spent in flight.

The white-tailed eagle is often confused with the golden eagle, which is only found in Scotland. The best way to distinguish between the two is by looking at their wings in flight. White-tailed eagles fly with their wings held flat, making them look like a plank, whereas golden eagles fly with their wings slightly raised in a ‘V’ shape. When not in flight, you can tell them apart by physical appearance. The golden eagle has a golden-buff nape and no white tail, whereas a white-tailed eagle has a pale buff head and white tail.

You may hear a white-tailed eagle call before you spot it, listen out for a high-pitched ‘kew kew kew’.

Audio: Roland Arnison xeno-canto.org

Threats and conservation

White-tailed eagles went extinct in the UK in the early 20th century as a result of persecution, egg collecting, pesticide use and habitat loss. Reintroduction efforts began in Scotland in the 1970s and have more recently taken place in the south of England. Today, there are around 150 breeding pairs across the UK.

As white-tailed eagles have large territory sizes, successful reintroduction depends on public engagement and consultation, as well as the agreement of multiple landowners to support any project.