• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.435-441
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• 2008

This study conducted a survey on the moulting sequence subsequent to age of Haliaeetus pelagicus raised in captivity at the Ornithology Laboratory attached to Kyungsung University for about six years from November, 2000 until July, 2006. The survey indicated that the moult of rectrices usually began in July and continued until April of the next year and most of the rectrices were replaced by one-time moult. Usually, about two thirds of the tail feathers were replaced while the rest were replaced no later than April of the next year, and the moult also continued during the wintertime. The total number of rectrices was 14, and the moult progressed alternately on a systematic basis. The progress of the moult for female & male was made on four stages and three stages respectively and the characteristic shown on every stage of the moult was that the left & right tail feathers progressed symmetrically and not until one stage of progress almost completed did the next stage began. The color of the juvenile steller's sea-eagle was dotted with black spots on its original white color and there existed regular black belt on its feather's fringes; however, it was difficult to identify its age by tail feathers only because there was almost no difference in color between feathers ranging from the first to the third generation(1st-3rd summer feathers). In addition, this research took the different amounts of black-speckled pattern appearing by individual into consideration. There existed slight black speckles in white color feathers of the fourth generation(the 4th summer feathers) while showing a big difference compared to the 3rd generation feathers. The 5th generation feathers[the 5th summer feathers]were found to be equipped with perfect tail feathers having virgin white of a steller's sea-eagle after completing its 4th molt. When observing a steller's sea-eagle in the open air, it is necessary for an observer to have a deliberate examination in judging its age belonging to the 1st-3rd generation feathers, and it is considered that the changes of other parts of feathers should be also observed besides tail feathers.