Ecologlcal observatlons on Sanford's Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus (leucogaster) sanfordi

Abstract

Field observations of Sanford's Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus (leucogaster) sanfordi were obtained in the Solomon Islands (Choiseul, Tetepare, Rendova, Kolombangara, and Vella Lavella) from January 2006 to October 2011. Sanford's Sea-Eagles were encountered in coastal, lowland and montane forests (to 1100 m above sea-level), open human-modified habitats, and along a river through primary rainforest. Prédation or attempted prédation was observed on soaring Glossy Swiftlets Collocalia esculenta, Solomons Flying-foxes Pteropus rayneri leaving their roosts and a Prehensile-tailed Skink Corucia zebrata. Ecological release may explain this eagle's wide habitat and dietary niche in the Islands, but other evidence (morphology, vocalisations) suggests that lumping it with the White-bellied SeaEagle H. leucogaster, on limited DNA evidence, may be premature