738. HaliAetus leucoryphus

738. Pallas’s Sea-eagle.
HALIAETUS LEUCORYPHUS.
Haliaetus leucoryphus (Pall.) Reis. Russ. Reichs i. p. 454 (1771) ; Dresser, v. p. 545, pl. 346 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. i. p. 308 ; Blanf. P. Brit. Ind. Birds, iii. p. 366 ; Tacz. F. O. Sib. O. p. 43 ; H. macei (Temm.), Pl. Col. i. pls. 8, 223 (1824).
Bieloklovoi-orlan, Russ. ; Machurang, Hindu.
Male ad. (S. Russia). Forehead, sides of head and neck, chin, and throat pale yellowish white ; crown, nape, and hind-neck warm rufous isabelline, or rufescent ochreous ; rest of upper parts umber-brown ; tail dark brown, with a broad white cross band ; under parts dark reddish brown ; bill dark plumbeous ; cere light plumbeous ; tarsus nearly bare, dull white ; feet dull white ; iris greyish yellow. Culmen 2.7, wing 22.0, tail 11.7, tarsus 3.85 inch. Female similar but larger. The young bird has the upper parts nearly uniform brown, the head and neck dark fulvous brown, streaked with sandy brown ; tail dark brown, with an ashy tinge ; under parts lighter fulvous brown, some of the breast-feathers with pale margins.
Hab. European Russia, not ranging far north ; Turkey, Asia Minor, and Central Asia, east to southern Siberia. Mongolia, and northern China ; northern India and Burma.
Is essentially a frequenter of rivers, marshes, tidal creeks, and lakes, and feeds on fish, which it captures near the surface of the water, water-fowl, and snakes, frogs, etc, but its chief food consists of fish. Its cry is a shrill half croak, half scream, somewhat harsh in tone. It places its nest on a lofty tree, constructing it of sticks and boughs, lining it with twigs and green leaves, rushes and straw, and from December to January (in India) 2 or 3, seldom 4 eggs are deposited, which are white and in size measure about 2.81 by 2.16.