WHITE-HEADED SEA-EAGI-E. 
doubtless being busy breeding in the large masses of mangroves further 
north towards the North-west Cape and in the Exmouth Gulf. I never 
succeeded in finding any eggs, but found a nest in some mangroves near the 
North-west Cape that apparently belonged to this species. The nest was 
a little larger than a Crow’s and was well hidden in a thick mangrove tree. 
The ground below was littered with numerous fragments of yellow land crabs. 
When at Carnarvon in 1911, from August to October, one or two pairs of the 
birds were constantly close to the town in the estuary of the Gascoyne River 
and doubtless had a nest in some of the patches of mangroves. I have 
noted occasional birds at flooded inland plains, twenty-five miles from the 
nearest point of the sea. They ascended some distance up the vast channel 
of the Gascoyne River, hunting about the large scattered permanent pools. 
On one occasion, when living at Point Cloates, I found the dead bodies of a 
White-headed Sea-Eagle and a Brown Hawk with their claws fast entangled. 
They had fought ‘a fight to a finish.’ On several occasions I have known 
them eat poisoned pieces of meat laid for the dingoes and die from the 
effects.” 
Heartland’s note in North’s “ Catalogue ” reads : “ The White-breasted 
Sea-Eagle {Haliastur girrenera) was frequently seen on the Fitzroy River, 
near its junction with the Margaret River, about one hundred and fifty miles 
inland from King’s Sound, in North-western Australia. These birds were 
either perched on the topmost branches of the highest trees, or flying slowly 
near the surface of the water. The Aborigines assert that while perched 
they are either resting or looking for some unwary fish basking in the sunshine. 
Having discovered their intended victim, they fly close to the water and seize 
the fish as they pass over it. They construct large stick nests in the high 
trees on the margin of the Fitzroy River.” 
