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November 30, 2007
Iconic birds soar higher
Scotland's breeding population of white-tailed eagles has risen dramatically to its highest number since the reintroduction programme began more than 30 years ago.
There are now 42 territorial breeding pairs of the UK's biggest raptor, an increase of 6 pairs since 2006. It has also been the most successful year in terms of chicks produced, with 24 successful broods fledging a total of 34 young birds.
White-tailed Sea Eagle, Highland, August 2007 © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries
The ongoing monitoring of white tailed eagles is conducted by the Sea Eagle Project team, which includes Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland and the RSPB.
Skye, Mull and the Western Isles remain the core population area since the white-tailed eagle was brought back from extinction by reintroduction programmes, but they are now beginning to significantly expand this range.
There are probably now around 200 sea eagles in Scotland, giving tourists and wildlife watching enthusiasts their best ever chance of witnessing these spectacular and inspiring birds often referred to as ‘flying barn doors’ due to their sheer size.
This latest increase in the white-tailed eagle population coincides with plans to establish a population across Scotland by introducing chicks taken from nests in Norway to the east coast.
Posted by Surfbirds at November 30, 2007 8:17 PM
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