FERMANAGH is continuing to cement its reputation as a bird-of-prey breeding ground, with a pair of white-tailed eagles in the county becoming the first couple to successfully breed in the North in over 150 years.
The RSPB made the happy announcement at the weekend.
The native birds had been reintroduced to Ireland by the Golden Eagle Trust (GET) and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) between 2007 and 2011, with the aim of establishing a viable population following extinction from Ireland in the late 19th century.
Over those years 100 eagle chicks were brought from Norway and released in Killarney National Park. Then, in 2020, the NPWS released more across the country, tagging the birds with satellite responders to monitor their locations.
The pair that have now bred in Fermanagh are only four years old and were originally introduced at Lough Derg in Co Tipperary in 2020, having been brought from Norway.
“It is an incredible achievement that this pair of first-time breeders, have successfully fledged one chick,” said a RSPB spokesman.
“The success of this pioneering couple confirms that the wetlands, woodlands and farmlands of Co. Fermanagh provide ideal habitats for this species.”
The Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group (NIRSG) has also welcomed the news.
“The confirmation of this eagle species breeding in Northern Ireland corrects a multi-generational absence, symbolising the restoration of a once extinct species and highlighting the importance of wetlands, woodlands and farmland habitats on which many of our raptors depend,” said Dr Eimear Rooney from NIRSG.
“From reviewing satellite data provided by NPWS we had an idea that the birds were nesting, but with young eagles nothing is guaranteed. I can’t describe the adrenalin rush the moment I saw the chick earlier this year and confirmed that the birds were not only nesting but had successfully reared a chick.”
Dr Marc Ruddock, also from the NIRSG, added, “We had been anticipating this for a few years and the reintroduction programmes, has resulted in real conservation successes across the Island of Ireland.
“It’s a great result for the dedication and hard work of many individuals for many years and testament to the resilience of nature and wildlife in its capacity for restoration and renewal if given the space and habitats to thrive.”
The White-tailed Eagle, or ‘sea eagle’, is the UK’s largest bird of prey, standing at almost 1 meter tall, with a huge wingspan of up to 2.4 metres and a distinctive white tail, as their name suggests.
The wings are very broad, and the birds are often described as a ‘flying barn door’.
Young White-tailed Eagles often roam widely in their first few years of life, before finding a breeding territory and a mate. They are found near open water, either coastal or fresh.
They can live to over 20 years of age, and usually begin breeding at 5 years old. They depend on the availability of large, mature trees in undisturbed areas in which to build their nests and good quality foraging and fishing habitats.
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