The reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle to Ireland. Project report 2009

• Main Authors: Nygård, Torgeir, Halley, Duncan John, Mee, Allan
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Norsk institutt for naturforskning 2009
• Subjects: Norway; Haliaeetus albicilla; White-tailed eagle; golden eagle
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2642308

Nygård, T., Halley, D., & Mee, A. 2010 The reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle to Ireland. Project report 2009 - NINA Report 583. 30 pp. A programme to reintroduce the white tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla to Ireland, where the spe-cies became extinct in the early 20th century, commenced in 2005. The work is managed in Ireland by the Golden Eagle Trust; in Norway collection activities are organised by NINA and the Norwegian Ornithological Society with the assistance of a team of expert volunteers. The first young birds were collected in Trøndelag, Norway and released in Kerry, Ireland in 2007. Here we report on progress so far, including collection activities in 2009, the third of five planned years of collection and release of young white-tailed eagles. Active nests were located in April-May and young birds collected from nests 15th-25th June (always leaving at least one chick in the nest). The 55 birds exported 2007-2009 were checked by a veterinarian, weighed and measured, and ringed the day before being flown directly to Kerry by charter aircraft in the end of June. Release from holding cages in Kerry National Park was done in early August – early September. Birds have been regularly monitored thereafter, individual recognition made possible with wing-tags and VHF or GPS transmitters. Survival in Ireland has been good, 9 of 15 birds released in 2007, 18 out of 20 released in 2008, and 19 of 20 birds released in 2009 being known or assumed alive as of January 2010 (46 of 55 total). Survival rate for the first year is on average 0.85, and for later years 0.90. These rates are similar to wild populations in Norway and other countries, and higher than in the earlier and successful Scottish west coast reintroduction. The survival rate would have been excellent (higher than any known wild population) but for illegal poisoning (5 cases) and to a lesser extent shooting (1), certainly the cause of death in 6 of the 9 casualties. Illegal killing was also the probable cause of death in a 7th (where the ...