White-tailed eagles could soon soar free in southern England

Exmoor may be the next area in southern England to have resident white-tailed eagles. Natural England is considering licensing the release of the spectacular raptors, also known as sea eagles and ‘flying barn doors’, in the national park, where the steep, wooded coastline is thought suitable for small-scale releases.

In 2019, the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England began a long-term programme on the Isle of Wight to restore the population to its former range in England, sourcing birds from Scotland where an earlier project, begun in the 1970s, has successfully led to an estimated population of more than 100 breeding pairs.

Tagged birds from the Isle of Wight project have already been seen on Exmoor and the results of a public-perception survey carried out by the National Park Authority reflect ‘a widespread desire’ to see the birds back. ‘Of 2,062 responses, 80.2% were positive, 17.4% negative and 2.4% neutral,’ reports a spokesperson for the national park. ‘Since the first white-tailed eagle visited Exmoor in June 2021, we’ve visited and spoken with a wide range of people, including the farming and shooting community, to share evidence and address specific concerns.’

The eagles, which can have a wing span of 8ft, were thought to have once been widespread in England, with references to them in Anglo-Saxon literature, but the species’ range subsequently contracted, owing to loss of suitable habitat, trapping, shooting and the taking of eggs and chicks. Despite a reputation for sheep killing, Forestry England has said that since the Isle of Wight reintroduction there have been no reported issues with livestock or pets.