The conservation status of White-bellied Sea-Eagles in Victoria is “endangered” so to my mind there is always an extra thrill when one is sighted and a feeling of special privilege to see such a majestic bird.
Mostly, single adult birds or pairs are encountered and sometimes a young sub adult bird is found. An Adult Sea-Eagle pair occupy a territory throughout the year and during the breeding season they will strongly defend their territory. Sea-Eagles will hunt together as a family but eventually young birds will be ejected from the territory and must then fend for themselves.
Recently in late Autumn we were surprised to find four juvenile/immature Sea-Eagles all perched together in one dead tree not far from Ocean Grange south of Paynesville on the Gippsland Lakes. The birds looked to be juvenile in transition to first immature and perhaps second immature.
I have seen four adult Sea-Eagles close together contesting territorial boundaries before but never four immature birds. Sea-Eagles lay one or two eggs and therefore it is possible to raise two young from one breeding season. It is possible the four immature birds are siblings but not from the same breeding season. The unusual encounter with four immature birds leaves me wondering if siblings sometimes associate during their progress to adulthood. Of course it is not possible to know if the four birds are related or not.
With a gradual change to lighter plumage, full adult feathering is reached in the fourth year.
As we slowly approached the tree by boat two birds were quick to depart, followed by a third and then finally the last bird flew. Here are some photos taken as the birds departed.
Please click on photos to enlarge.
This was the second bird to fly.
Once again this encounter with four immature Sea-Eagles demonstrates that you never know what you are going to find when out in the field.
Post script:
Regarding Sea-Eagle clutch size I am reliably informed that during a study in 2014 to update Sea-Eagle numbers in East Gippsland two nests were discovered that fledged 3 young which was unheard of until then. One or two young is by far the norm.
My informant further advised that the largest number of sub-adult Sea-Eagles he has seen together (in two nearby trees near Loch Sport) was seven – very unusual but not rare.
