214 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
Nest. —-A large structure, composed of sticks, and lined with leaves; 
generally placed in a tree at various heights from the ground. Old nests 
of other species of Hawks are also used. 
Eggs .—Two or three, white or huffy-white, boldly spotted with 
reddish-brown and lavender markings. Breeding-season: August to 
November. 
6. Red-backed Sea Eagle Haliastur indus Boddaert 
Hal-i-as'-tur -—Gk, hals, sea; L., astur, goshawk: indus —Indian. 
Distribution. —Northern Australia and eastern Australia to as far 
south as the Hunter River (New South Wales) ; also occurs in India 
Burma to the Philippine Islands, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.’ 
Notes. —Also called White-headed Sea Eagle, Rufous-backed Sea 
Eagle, Salmon-hawk, and Rufous-backed Fish-hawk. Usually singly or 
in pairs, frequenting inlets and estuaries and islands lying off the* 0)351 
but particularly mangrove swamps. Its food consists chiefly of fish crabs’ 
sea-snakes and cuttle-fish Its call-note is a curiously modulated 
Pee-ah-h-h, the last syllable rather drawn out and uttered in a tremulous 
manner. 5 
Nest. A large structure, composed of twigs and sticks; lined with 
fine bark grass, or leaves, and sometimes with lichen; occasionally decor- 
ated on the sides with streamers of bleached seaweed. Generally placed 
near the top of a large mangrove tree or a tall tree growing on an island 
Eggs-— Usually two, dull white or bluish-white, sparingly marked but 
“! r ‘Sf SP °‘ S St b, ? tches ™* h streaks arid 
Septembe^ (north ^August tpoctober^eastf." 36 * 15011 * Apr " ” “ 
7. Whistling Eagle Haliastur sphenurus Vieillot 
sphen-ur-us~Gk, sphen, wedge; Gk, ura (oura ), tail. 
New CaWo'S"'' _AUStralia generB “> r : als ° in New Guinea and 
alike coastal and Inlaid 'districts 8 ?£ W fliirht 7 ? lil h y pairS| frequenting 
species often soars to n errant t™- Li. f, ls buoyant and easy; this 
at a distance of half a mile or more U InThe ™ his ? lin £ CI 7 audible 
scavenger, feeding* uoon rlpnr? fid i cc ^ e r COas * a districts it is a great 
on small mammalsTldf ifzar Pc' 1 °? a ‘ '“"A the It also (ends 
many districts rabbits form the chief Item’ oTus'dle^ ° f inMcts: ” 
