Steller's Sea Eagle

The Steller's Sea Eagle is a massive raptor of the Russian Far East, Japan, and Korea, notable for its striking white-and-black plumage and enormous size, making it one of the most powerful avian predators of the region's coasts and rivers.

Adult Steller's Sea Eagle plumage is predominantly blackish-brown, strongly set off by bold white patches on the lesser upperwing coverts (shoulder area), white feathering on the thighs, and a broad white wedge-shaped tail - a combination not shared by any similarly large eagle elsewhere in the world. The flight feathers themselves are blackish-brown and exceptionally large and heavy, reflecting the species' substantial body size, among the largest of any eagle. Juveniles are more uniformly mottled brown, gradually developing the bold white shoulder and tail patches as they mature.

Full adult plumage develops over several years, with juveniles showing progressively more white in the shoulder and tail feathers as they age. Sexes look alike, with females larger. Adults undergo a slow, sequential flight-feather molt.

Steller's Sea Eagles breed along coasts and major river systems in the Russian Far East, wintering further south in Japan and Korea where open water and fish remain accessible. Most populations make seasonal movements tied to ice cover on their breeding rivers.

This species specializes heavily on salmon and other fish, often gathering in numbers at productive rivers and coastal sites, and also scavenges carcasses and takes waterbirds. Calls are deep, resonant barking notes. Nests are massive stick structures built in tall trees or on cliffs near water. IUCN status is Vulnerable, reflecting a relatively small and geographically restricted population.