2 months ago
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The chick was fitted with a satellite tag before fledging (Forestry England)
At a historic moment, the first white-tailed eagle in addition to 240 years flew from a nest in the wilds of England. The chick is the first successful breeding attempt of white-tailed eagles released by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation project to bring this lost species back to England.
White-tailed eagles are Britain’s largest birds of prey, with a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters and were once widespread across England. Human persecution caused their extinction with the last pair breeding in southern England in 1780. In 2019, Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation have launched a reintroduction program to restore these iconic birds to the English landscape.
Two of the birds released by the project in 2020 – female G405, from the Outer Hebrides, and male G471, from north-west Sutherland – raised the male chick earlier this summer. The location of the nest, which is on private land with no public access, is not disclosed for the welfare of the birds and to avoid any disruption to them or the landowner this year or if the birds return to breed at the same location. .
The chick was banded and equipped with a satellite tag by certified ornithologists at the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, allowing the project team to track the daily progress of this historic bird throughout its life.
“This is a very special moment for everyone who worked, supported and followed this innovative project. Restoring a breeding population in southern England, where the species was once widespread, has been our ultimate goal. » said Roy Dennis MBE, founder of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation. “Many thought it was impossible, but we knew that food for the eagles – fresh and saltwater fish, cuttlefish, rabbits, hares and wild birds – was plentiful.
“I visited the Isle of Wight as a young birder in the 1950s, saw the last breeding site at Culver Cliff and knew it needed to be restored,” Dennis continued. “It is still early, but this is a very important milestone and we are encouraged by the enthusiastic support shown by so many people and that the sight of these enormous eagles in the sky inspires hope to restore nature. We still have a long way to go, but the feeling of seeing the first duo reach this stage is truly incredible.
The birds are one of three territorial pairs now established in southern England and the first to breed.
“We are delighted that this moment has happened and at such an early stage of the project. At just three years old, it is remarkable that the pair have successfully bred, with most white-tailed eagles not attempting to do so until they are four or five years old. The ability of these pairs to breed and fly their chicks at such an early age is extremely encouraging,” said Steve Egerton-Read, White-tailed Eagle Project Manager for Forestry England.
“It’s really difficult to put into words what an incredible time this is for the return of these iconic birds to England. This shows how eagles are starting to integrate into this landscape again and how, with a little help, nature can start to come back and thrive. Although it has not been possible to establish a public viewing site at this location, we hope that one of the other established pairs in southern England will choose to nest in a location that we can share with the public in the years to come. “, continued Egerton-Read.
Nowadays, 25 white-tailed eagles were released by the reintroduction project with 16 still alive. A further release of young white-tailed eagles is planned for later this summer from the project team’s base on the Isle of Wight.
The reintroduction of white-tailed eagles is being carried out under license from Natural England, the government’s wildlife licensing authority. All young birds involved in the project are collected under NatureScot license from the wild in Scotland and brought to the Isle of Wight.