It is a distinctive bird, with a white belly, white head, breast, under-wing coverts and tail. The upper parts are grey. The black under-wing flight feathers contrast with the white coverts. The tail is short and wedge-shaped as in all "Haliaeetus" species. Like many raptors, the female is slightly larger than the male, and can be long with a wingspan of up to , and weigh . Immature birds have brown plumage, which is gradually replaced with white by the age of five or six years. Its call is a loud goose-like honking.