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White-tailed eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla

White-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers. It is considered a close cousin of the bald eagle and occupies the same ecological niche, but in Eurasia. The white-tailed eagle is a very large bird. It measures 66–94 cm (26–37 in) in length with a 1.78–2.45 m (5.8–8.0 ft) wingspan. The wingspan, with a midpoint of 2.18 m (7.2 ft), is on average the largest of any eagle.

This species has broad “barn door” wings, a large head and a large thick beak. The adult is mainly grayish-brown except for the slightly paler head and neck, blackish flight feathers, and distinctive white tail. All bare parts are yellow in color, including both the bill and the legs. In juvenile birds, tail and bill are darker, the tail becoming white with a dark terminal band in sub-adults. The combination of mousy-brown coloration, broad, evenly held wings, white tail, strong yellow bill and overall large size render the white-tailed eagle essentially unmistakable in its native range. Some individuals have been found to live over 25 years, 21 years being the average.

This large eagle breeds in northern Europe and northern Asia. The largest population in Europe is found along the coast of Norway. The population in 2008 stood at 9,000–11,000 pairs. They are mostly resident, only the northernmost birds such as the eastern Scandinavian and Siberian population migrating south in winter. Birds from eastern Russia rarely migrate into Alaska.

It sounds like this
Recording by Maudoc from Xeno canto