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White-Bellied Sea Eagle:The National Treasure of Brunei Darussalam

Along with their own flags, anthems, and flowers, each country also has its own national bird that symbolizes the spirit of the nation. Let’s find out about ASEAN’s national birds and the meanings behind them, beginning with Brunei Darussalam. The national bird of Brunei Darussalam is the white-bellied sea eagle.

It has a slender body a white head and underside, while the wings are slate-gray or black. Like other eagles, this bird is a carnivore that prefers to hunt down living prey and rarely, if ever, scavenges already deceased animals. With fish comprising a significant portion of its dite, the bird prefers to make its home near the sea or close to rivers. These sea eagles are so powerful and skilled in attack that they easily prey on sea snakes, which are equipped with one of the most deadly poisons in the world. For this reason, sea eagles are highly respected among the people of Brunei Darussalam, and have become the subject of various folk stories.

White-bellied sea eagles inhabit a wide region that stretches from southern China all the way to Tasmania, and even as far as India. They can often be seen in Brunei Darussalam’s Ule Temburong National Park. This species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though their numbers are declining in many areas dus to the impact of urban development, including clearing away trees which they use for nesting. National parks, like Ulu Temburong, thus play a vial role in preserving this unique species.