Langkawi and Its Famous Eagle

Langkawi is an island that is really famous for reddish-brown eagles. The majestic birds have been the island’s popular trademark ever since before. People can easily spot their appearance almost everywhere on the island. You can also see them soaring freely up in the sky whenever you drive around. Even the island’s name was taken after those eagles where “Lang” means eagle, while “Kawi” means reddish-brown. Therefore, there goes the name Langkawi.

There are two species of eagle commonly seen in Langkawi. They are the reddish-brown eagles (also known as Brahminy Kites) and white bellied sea eagles. Among these two, the reddish brown ones are mostly seen by people.

Eagles' natural habitats are usually near the ocean, like coasts and mangrove swamps. This explains their famous existence is Langkawi. These birds of prey belong to the group that require diet rich in protein and calcium. This diet is very important to develop their strong muscle, bone and feather. On this island, it is easy to spot eagles feeding on fishes in the sea. They will first circle the sky. Once they identify their target, they will swoop down to catch the fish and take off in split seconds, leaving absolutely no chance for the competitors to steal their food.

Here we have some fun facts about eagles that our readers might want to know. According to livescience.com, eagles have terrific eyesight that if you swapped your eyes for an eagle’s, you could see an ant crawling on the ground from the roof of a ten-story building! Isn’t that amazing?

Other than that, it is discovered that white bellied sea eagles are super loyal to their partner. Once white-bellied sea eagles have found a mate, they stay with that mate for life. Only after that one mate dies, they find another.


Photo source from eBird

In conjunction with the famous existence of this magnificent birdie, a big eagle statue was built at Kuah. The giant statue is 12-metre tall, portraying a reddish-brown eagle poising to take flight. This monument spot is named as Eagle Square (Dataran Lang in Malay) and is located very near to the jetty terminal. It is one of the most popular spots in Langkawi and is always packed with tourists, especially on peak seasons. Aside from the eagle statue, the view itself is what makes it a tourist hotspot. The wide sea view unfolds along with the gentle breeze is just breathtaking and worth thousand shots. Snap and post your shot here, and people instantly know you are in Langkawi without you saying anything. That is just how popular this spot is.


Photo source from Culture Trip

So readers, whenever you are in Langkawi, plan your way to Eagle Square to enjoy its ocean breeze and scenic view. Snap your best shots to glorify the memory of you being in one of beautiful places of Langkawi. Later, you can remember how close you stand next to a giant raptor but is completely unharmed.