A tale of two Eagles

1. White-tailed Eagle © Christoph Meier - Zwicky

British reintroduction

The reintroduction of the White-tailed Eagle on the Isle of Wight (link) Tap

In the 18th century White-tailed Eagle (WTE) was widespread in Scotland, and Ireland bred and once upon a time, in England and the Isle of Man. By the 19th century, 100 eyries were known in Britain with 50 in Ireland.

The species became extinct in the UK, not due to loss of habitat, but because of persistent continual persecution by gamekeepers, fishery owners, egg and skin collectors, and the like. The general view of society and the public at this time was to control raptors as they were considered a threat to sheep farming and the numbers of game birds.

The pressure continued until the19th century when the species completely disappeared from England. It hung on a little longer in Ireland, but by 1900 only a few pairs remained on the British Isles - all in Scotland. The last breeding pair in Scotland was on the Isle of Skye in 1916 followed by the very last British bird shot in Shetland two years later.

Fortunately, times have changed

Although quite common globally, WTE is considered of (Least Concern) in the IUCN red list category. The UK has had several reintroduction schemes beginning when there was serious decline. The first of these raptors, also known as Sea Eagles, were reintroduced to the Isle of Rum in 1975 and later to Wester Ross. These birds have established an increasing breeding population on the west coast of Scotland. A third Scottish reintroduction of 85 birds on the east coast between 2007 and 2012, generated a link between the two northern Scottish populations.

To the delight of many a lockdown birdwatcher...

White-tailed eagles have been released on the Isle of Wight on the southern coast of England.

Birders confined to barracks, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, condemned to spend their days staring at the sky, will occasionally see a very large raptor in its distinct lap lap glide flight often accompanied by a squabble of Gulls. In early January 2021 a Juvenile was seen in Salisbury, Wiltshire flying not to high above the rooftops accompanied by such a Gull flock, to the delight of many a caged birder...myself included!

The legal protection of White-tailed Eagles was a slow development initiated by Iceland in 1913 and finalised by Greece in 1973. In what was probably the last safe stronghold in western Europe - Norway began protecting them in 1968. Protection from direct persecution was granted by the 1950's while the use of DDT was banned in the 1970's.