Sanford's Fish Eagle
Encyclopedia
The Sanford's Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus sanfordi), sometimes listed as Sanford's Fish Eagle or Solomon Eagle, is a sea-eagle
endemic to the Solomon Islands
. The "sea-eagle" name is to be preferred, to distinguish the species
of Haliaeetus from the closely related Ichthyophaga
true fish eagles. The species was described in 1935 by Ernst Mayr
who noticed that earlier observers had overlooked it, thinking it was a juvenile of the White-bellied Sea Eagle
.
, a trustee for the American Museum of Natural History
. The first description was by Ernst Mayr
in 1935. It can reach a length between 70 and 90 cm (28-36 in) and a weight between 1.5 and 2.7 kg (3.3-6 lbs). The wingspan is between 165 and 185 cm (65-73 in). It is the only large predator on the Solomon Islands. The eagles inhabits coastal forests and lakes up to an altitude of about 1500 m asl.
The plumage
is whitish brown to bright brown on the head and the neck. The underparts are brown to reddish brown and dark brown. The upperparts are darkish brown to gray-black. The eyes are bright brown. Uniquely among sea-eagles, this species has an entirely dark tail throughout its life.
The breeding season is from August to October. The nest consists of two eggs
.
The diet consists of mainly of tideline carrion, fish, molluscs, crab
s, tortoises, and sea snakes, and more rarely birds and fruit bat
s snatched from the rainforest
canopy. It has also been reported to feed opportunistically on the Northern Common Cuscus
.
It forms a superspecies
with the White-bellied Sea Eagle
. As in other sea-eagle species pairs, the other taxon
is white-headed. These two are genetic
ally very close, it seems; their lineages separated not longer ago than 1 mya, probably only in the Middle Pleistocene
, a few 100,000 years ago. Both share a dark bill
, talon
s, and eyes with the other Gondwana
n sea eagles.
This eagle is often illustrated on postage stamps of the Solomon Islands.
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Cited works
Sea eagle (bird)
A sea eagle is any of the birds of prey in the genus Haliaeetus in the bird of prey family Accipitridae....
endemic to the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
. The "sea-eagle" name is to be preferred, to distinguish the species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of Haliaeetus from the closely related Ichthyophaga
Ichthyophaga
Ichthyophaga is a genus of two species of eagles, closely related to the sea-eagles in the genus Haliaeetus. Both are native to southeastern Asia, from the Indian subcontinent southeast to Sulawesi. They are smaller than the Haliaeetus eagles, though overlapping in size with the smaller species of...
true fish eagles. The species was described in 1935 by Ernst Mayr
Ernst Mayr
Ernst Walter Mayr was one of the 20th century's leading evolutionary biologists. He was also a renowned taxonomist, tropical explorer, ornithologist, historian of science, and naturalist...
who noticed that earlier observers had overlooked it, thinking it was a juvenile of the White-bellied Sea Eagle
White-bellied Sea Eagle
The White-bellied Sea Eagle , also known as the White-breasted Sea Eagle, is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Originally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it is closely related to Sanford's Sea Eagle of the Solomon Islands, and the two are considered a superspecies...
.
Description
The Sanford's Sea Eagle was discovered by and named after Dr Leonard C. SanfordLeonard Cutler Sanford
Leonard Cutler Sanford was an American surgeon and amateur ornithologist who served as a trustee of the American Museum of Natural History for nearly thirty years and who was instrumental in building up its bird collections....
, a trustee for the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
. The first description was by Ernst Mayr
Ernst Mayr
Ernst Walter Mayr was one of the 20th century's leading evolutionary biologists. He was also a renowned taxonomist, tropical explorer, ornithologist, historian of science, and naturalist...
in 1935. It can reach a length between 70 and 90 cm (28-36 in) and a weight between 1.5 and 2.7 kg (3.3-6 lbs). The wingspan is between 165 and 185 cm (65-73 in). It is the only large predator on the Solomon Islands. The eagles inhabits coastal forests and lakes up to an altitude of about 1500 m asl.
The plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is whitish brown to bright brown on the head and the neck. The underparts are brown to reddish brown and dark brown. The upperparts are darkish brown to gray-black. The eyes are bright brown. Uniquely among sea-eagles, this species has an entirely dark tail throughout its life.
The breeding season is from August to October. The nest consists of two eggs
Bird egg
Bird eggs are laid by females and incubated for a time that varies according to the species; a single young hatches from each egg. Average clutch sizes range from one to about 17...
.
The diet consists of mainly of tideline carrion, fish, molluscs, crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s, tortoises, and sea snakes, and more rarely birds and fruit bat
Fruit Bat
Fruit Bat can refer to:* Megabats, a species of bat which eats fruit* Les "Fruitbat" Carter, guitarist of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine* Fruit Bats , an American band...
s snatched from the rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
canopy. It has also been reported to feed opportunistically on the Northern Common Cuscus
Northern Common Cuscus
The Northern Common Cuscus , also known as the Grey Cuscus, is a species of marsupial in the Phalangeridae family. It is native to northern New Guinea and adjacent smaller islands, but is now also found in the Bismarck Archipelago, south-east and central Moluccas, the Solomons and Timor, where it...
.
It forms a superspecies
Superspecies
A superspecies is a group of at least two more or less distinctive species with approximately parapatric distributions. Not all species complexes, whether cryptices or ring species are superspecies, and vice versa, but many are...
with the White-bellied Sea Eagle
White-bellied Sea Eagle
The White-bellied Sea Eagle , also known as the White-breasted Sea Eagle, is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Originally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it is closely related to Sanford's Sea Eagle of the Solomon Islands, and the two are considered a superspecies...
. As in other sea-eagle species pairs, the other taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
is white-headed. These two are genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
ally very close, it seems; their lineages separated not longer ago than 1 mya, probably only in the Middle Pleistocene
Middle Pleistocene
The Middle Pleistocene, more specifically referred to as the Ionian stage, is a period of geologic time from ca. 781 to 126 thousand years ago....
, a few 100,000 years ago. Both share a dark bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
, talon
Talon
A talon is a sharp claw of an animal, especially a bird of prey, such as the eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, or buzzard. It may also refer to:Places:* Talon, Nièvre, a commune in the Nièvre département in France...
s, and eyes with the other Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
n sea eagles.
This eagle is often illustrated on postage stamps of the Solomon Islands.
Footnotes
References}}
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Cited works