Third phase of Isle of Wight eagle reintroduction begins

A further 12 juvenile White-tailed Eagles have been released on the Isle of Wight in the next stage of one of England's landmark conservation projects.

Now in its third year, the project has already released 13 eagles (six in 2019 and seven in 2020), with 10 of these surviving and currently faring well. This year's birds again came from Scotland, having been flown down from the Outer Hebrides by pilot Graham Mountford, and his daughter, Helen.

Led by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, the scheme aims to re-establish White-tailed Eagle as a breeding species in England after a 240-year absence. Up to 60 birds are planned to be released over five years, with breeding activity anticipated from 2024 onwards.

Two juvenile White-tailed Eagles photographed recently at the release site on the Isle of Wight (Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation).

Each bird is fitted with a satellite tracker to enable the team to monitor and track their progress. Three years into the project, this data and considerable field observations are showing encouraging signs of the birds developing key skills and improving their understanding of the landscape around them.

Previously released birds have explored widely, taking many journeys across Britain as they build up their knowledge of the landscape. One bird released in 2020 crossed the English Channel earlier this year and has since spent time in France, The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.

However far the birds travel, the tracking data clearly shows that the birds consistently return to the Isle of Wight, their release point. This means they see the island and the surrounding coastline as their home and is an encouraging indicator for potential successful breeding conditions in the future.

Two birds in particular, known as G324 and G274, have already formed a close and lasting pairing and are showing some signs of territorial behaviours with other eagles. While it too early to predict, the team is hopeful that these early indications may lead to breeding activity over the next few years.  

Roy Dennis, MBE, Founder of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, said: "We are now three years into this reintroduction project, and it is extremely encouraging to see just how successfully White-tailed Eagles are settling into the English landscape. Highlights for me have included watching the birds learn how to successfully fish all year round and the growing interactions between the birds. I am also always fascinated in tracking some of their huge exploratory flights across England and Europe and their ultimate return back to the Isle of Wight."

"We have seen from other reintroduction programmes that returning lost species offers real benefits for the health of our environment, and to people and local economies. None of this would be possible without the support of many people and I would like to thank everyone who has helped us again with this year's release and ongoing monitoring of the birds."

Natural England Chair, Tony Juniper, added: "The release marks another important milestone on the road toward the restoration of these magnificent birds as a breeding species in England. I'm so encouraged to see this project go from strength to strength, with this third release enabling White-tailed Eagles to strengthen their foothold on the Isle of Wight.

"We will continue to work closely with Roy Dennis and his team, Forestry England and various stakeholders to ensure this project serves as a guide for further successful species reintroductions in England, which are a vital part of achieving our overarching goal for nature recovery."

An in-depth article looking at the English White-tailed Eagle reintroduction will appear in the November 2021 issue of Birdwatch magazine.