What do White Tailed Sea Eagles like to eat? They primarily feed on carrion, birds & fish, but are also known to take small mammals when the opportunity presents itself. Throughout the Winter months, White Tails will eat mainly carrion, but will also continue to eat sea birds, still otter kills and take any other opportunities.
This was an incredible encounter on the boat the other day. The eagle was perched on a rock on the hillside by us as we passed the seal colony. A pup had been born minutes before we arrived and the afterbirth was still on its way out. The moment Mum & pup were out of the way, the Eagle took off and snatched the placenta.
Despite their preference for carrion, White tailed Eagles are powerful and effective hunters. They will snatch fish from the surface of both freshwater and sea lochs by using a shallow, feet-first dive. They have small spikes called spicules on the underside of their feet which helps prevent slippery prey from escaping.
People often think of a White tailed Eagle as a lazy predator, but we like to think of it as efficient. They eat around 400 kcal per day without chicks, but this can go up above 600 kcal when chicks need to be fed. Interestingly, they have a large pouch called a crop in the oesophagus that allows them to store food for consumption later on. A very useful adaptation when the weather is bad for days or weeks at a time.
