WBSE-A-11 White Bellied Sea Eagle Alua Feather

*EXTREMELY RARE* The majestic White Bellied Sea Eagle ALUA Feather. 

Size and Grading. on image

Please view image carefully,some may have stress markings. limited stocks

With a wingspan of up to 2m, the white-bellied sea eagle is the second largest bird of prey in Australia, just behind the wedge-tailed eagle. White-bellied sea eagles are commonly found along coastlines throughout Australia, and are also known to live inland at terrestrial wetland locations far from the coast. 

These impressive birds can be identified by their white head and belly, which contrasts with their dark grey back and wings. Juvenile sea eagles are brown in colour and sometimes confused with wedge-tailed eagles, acquiring their white and grey plumage by the time they are around four years of age. White-bellied sea eagles can also be identified by their relatively short tail feathers in relation to their body size, and leg plumage which stops quite high, leaving the lower part of their legs un-feathered. This design allows them to hunt prey from the surface of bodies of water without getting their feathers wet. ...........................

Adult Alula Feathers

• Colour: Slate-grey to dark charcoal. Because they sit on the upper leading edge of the wing joint, they match the dark slate-grey plumage of the upper wings and back rather than the pure white of the chest and under-wing coverts.
• Texture & Shape: Stiff, narrow, and sharply pointed. They are miniaturised flight feathers designed to withstand high wind resistance when lifted.
• Function: They create a small gap that channels airflow smoothly over the wing, allowing the eagle to maintain control when slowing down to snatch fish from the water's surface.

Juvenile Alula Feathers

• Colour: Mottled dark brown. Juvenile sea-eagles do not develop their grey-and-white adult coloration until they are 4 to 6 years old. Their alula feathers start dark brown to match their overall immature camouflage.