First white-tailed eagle chick born in England for over 240 years

A white-tailed eagle chick has fledged from a nest in England for the first time since 1780, as a result of an ongoing project to restore these iconic birds

By Paul McGuinness

Published: Wednesday, 19 July 2023 at 12:00 am

For the first time in over 240 years, a white-tailed eagle chick has fledged from a nest in England, the first successful breeding by the white-tailed eagles released by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation’s project to return this lost species to England.

The last time a white-tailed eagle chick fledged in England, the American Revolutionary War was in full swing, while in Germany, Mozart was working on his opera Idomeneo. In Britain, the population reached 9 million people.

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© Forestry England/Crown copyright
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© Forestry England/Crown copyright
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Stills from video show the chick in the nest. © Forestry England/Crown copyright

Today, the news that a chick has fledged from a secret location in England has been welcomed by conservationists. Roy Dennis MBE, Founder of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, said: “This is a very special moment for everyone who has worked on, supported and followed this ground-breaking project. Restoring a breeding population in southern England, where the species was once widespread, has been our ultimate goal. Many thought it was impossible but we knew food for eagles – fresh and salt water fish, cuttlefish, rabbits, hares and wild birds – was plentiful.

“I visited the Isle of Wight as a young birdwatcher in the 1950s, saw the last breeding location at Culver Cliff and knew they should be restored. It is early days, but this is a very significant milestone and we are heartened by the enthusiastic support shown by so many people and that the sight of these huge eagles in the sky inspires hope for restoring nature. We still have a long way to go, but the feeling of seeing the first pair reach this stage is truly incredible.”

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The nest’s location will remain secret. © Forestry England/Crown copyright

White-tailed eagles are Britain’s largest birds of prey with a wingspan of up to 2.5m. They were once widespread across England, but human persecution caused their extinction – the last breeding pair fledged in 1780. Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation began a reintroduction programme in England in 2019.

Two of the birds released by the project in 2020 – known as female G405, originally translocated from the Outer Hebrides and male G471, from northwest Sutherland – reared the male chick earlier this summer. The nest is on private land with no public access, and the location is being kept secret for the welfare of the birds.

The chick was ringed and fitted with a satellite tag by licensed ornithologists from the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, which allows the project team to track the bird’s progress.

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The birds are all are ringed and tagged. © Forestry England/Crown copyright

The birds are one of three territorial pairs that have now become established in southern England and the first to breed.

Steve Egerton-Read, White-Tailed Eagle Project Officer for Forestry England, said:

“We are thrilled that this moment has happened and at such an early stage in the project. At only 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 at least four or five. This pairs’ ability to breed and fledge their chick at this early age is extremely encouraging.

“It is really hard to put into words just what an incredible moment this is for the return of these iconic birds to England. It is evidence of just how well the eagles are starting to fit back into this landscape and how, with a little help, nature can begin to return and thrive. Although it has not been possible to set up a public viewing site at this location, we are hopeful that one of the other pairs that has become established in southern England will choose to nest in a location that we can share with the public in future years.”

To date, 25 white-tailed eagles have been released by the reintroduction project with 16 still surviving. 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 project has not been without controversy. Farmers voiced concerns that mature birds may attack their livestock. The project includes prominent farmers on its steering group, and the licence requires any “problem” birds to be recaptured and moved.

In 2022, a white-tailed eagle was poisoned by a banned substance in West Sussex, while a post-mortem on two birds found dead in County Antrim in 2023 showed that they too had been poisoned.

The reintroduction of white-tailed eagles is conducted under licence from Natural England, the Government’s wildlife licensing authority. All of the young birds involved in the project are collected under a NatureScot licence from the wild in Scotland and brought to the Isle of Wight.