Breeding habitat and nest site selection of the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla in Gotland, SE Sweden

• Published in: Ornis Svecica
• Main Author: Wiss, Lars-Erik
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BirdLife Sweden 2023
• Subjects: raptor; bird of prey; nesting tree; forestry; human impact; Baltic Sea; rovfågel; boträd; skogsbruk; mänsklig påverkan; Östersjön; Haliaeetus albicilla; Havsörn; White-tailed eagle
• Online Access: https://journals.lub.lu.se/os/article/view/23485; https://doi.org/10.34080/os.v33.23485

Nest site features and habitats of the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla were studied in Gotland, Sweden, during 2008–2017. Here, the entire population depended on suitable trees for nesting. The mean age of the nesting trees was 173 years. Only 9% of these trees were younger than 125 years. The mean distance from nests to roads was 400 metres. The mean distance to permanent residences and recreational cottages was 1.5 km and 1.2 km, respectively. Although the nests were not located far from human activities, the eagles were very shy. Therefore, they need protected areas around the nesting trees, especially during the breeding season. Nest site features and habitats of the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla were studied in Gotland, Sweden, during 2008–2017. Here, the entire population depended on suitable trees for nesting. The mean age of the nesting trees was 173 years. Only 9% of these trees were younger than 125 years. The mean distance from nests to roads was 400 metres. The mean distance to permanent residences and recreational cottages was 1.5 km and 1.2 km, respectively. Although the nests were not located far from human activities, the eagles were very shy. Therefore, they need protected areas around the nesting trees, especially during the breeding season.