The White-bellied Sea Eagle is a large diurnal bird of prey in the
family Accipitridae. A distinctive bird, adults have a white head,
breast, under-wing coverts and tail. The upper parts are grey and the
black under-wing flight feathers contrast with the white coverts. Like
many raptors, the female is slightly larger than the male, and can
measure up to 90 cm (36 in) long with a wingspan of up to 2.2 m
(7 ft), and weigh 4.5 kg (10 lb). The call is a loud goose-like
honking. Resident from India and Sri Lanka through southeast Asia to
Australia on coasts and major waterways, the White-bellied Sea Eagle
breeds and hunts near water, and fish form around half of its diet.
Opportunistic, it consumes carrion and a wide variety of animals.
Although rated of Least Concern globally, it has declined in parts of
southeast Asia such as Thailand, and southeastern Australia. Human
disturbance to its habitat is the main threat, both from direct human
activity near nests which impacts on breeding success, and from removal
of suitable trees for nesting. The White-bellied Sea Eagle is revered by
indigenous people in many parts of Australia, and is the subject of
various folk tales throughout its range.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-bellied_Sea_Eagle>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1637:
Eighty Years' War: Off the coast of Cornwall, England, a
Spanish fleet intercepted an important Anglo-Dutch merchant convoy of 44
vessels escorted by 6 warships, destroying or capturing 20 of them.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_off_Lizard_Point>
1873:
Vasil Levski (pictured), the national hero of Bulgaria, was
executed in Sofia by Ottoman authorities for his efforts to establish an
independent Bulgarian republic.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasil_Levski>
1943:
Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister, delivered the
Sportpalast speech to motivate the German people when the tide of World
War II was turning against Germany.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportpalast_speech>
1957:
Kenyan independence leader Dedan Kimathi, who spearheaded the
Mau Mau Rebellion, was executed by British authorities, who saw him as a
terrorist.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dedan_Kimathi>
2001:
American FBI agent Robert Hanssen was arrested for having spied
for Soviet and Russian intelligence agencies over a 22-year period.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hanssen>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
artisanal:
1. Of or pertaining to artisans or the work of artisans.
2. Involving skilled work, with comparatively little reliance on machinery.
3. (of an item, especially a foodstuff) Made by an artisan (skilled
worker).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/artisanal>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Life is not a goal; it is also an instrument, like death, like beauty,
like virtue, like knowledge. Whose instrument? Of that God who fights
for freedom. We are all one, we are all an imperiled essence.
--Nikos Kazantzakis
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nikos_Kazantzakis>