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White-bellied Sea-Eagles

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Geoff Jones mentioned a WBSE a long way inland and feeding on a cattle carcass at Riversleigh in Quensland.

WBSEs can occur inland, but usually on or near large bodies of water. They are on Lake Argyle in the north east Kimberley, and on the tailings dams of the Argyle Diamond Mine about 30km from the southern end of the lake. I have seen a WBSE at Katherine Gorge in the past. I have seen a WBSE on Deep Pool at Millstream in the Pilbara. However, these are all around water.

I have seen a WBSE near Albany feeding on a sheep carcass. But this would have only been a few kilometres from the coast and Oyster Harbour where they occur.

We had a WBSE take off from an Australian Bustard on 80 Mile Beach (yes – on the beach) in the south west Kimberley several years ago. It was very early in the morning. We did not see the WBSE make the kill, but the bustard was very freshly killed, and I can’t think of how else it would have been killed. It had opened up the belly and was presumably feeding on the internal organs. I was surprised that it would attack a bird of this size. I have seen WBSEs pick up beach washed sea snakes more than a metre long on 80 Mile Beach.

_________________________________________________________________ Frank O’Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email : foconnor@iinet.net.au

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Comments

One response to “White-bellied Sea-Eagles”

  1. Michael Tarburton Avatar
    Michael Tarburton

    Geoff Jones mentioned seeing WBSE

    feeding on Road kill with a group of Wedge-tailed Eagles and suggested that it would be interesting to know how many other people have seen this behaviour.

    For being well inland: my wife & I have seen them on lake Moondarra near Mt Isa 6.7.2008.

    For scavenging on road kill: We saw one at road kill on the Burke development Rd, 25.7.2009 at 19 36 10s 140 13 42e

    So they participate in both activities.

    Happy hunting (on or away from the coast)

    Mike =================== Michael Tarburton tarburton.m@optusnet.com.au ===================

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