Plans to reintroduce 'flagship' white-tailed eagle species to Exmoor

White-tailed eagles, the UK’s largest bird of prey, could soon be reintroduced to Exmoor National Park. Credit: PA

The UK's largest bird of prey could soon be flying through the skies over Exmoor National Park, after an absence of more than two centuries.

Exmoor National Park Authority has proposed to reintroduce white-tailed eagles to the area, in a collaboration with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England.

It's part of a wider initiative to restore the species to the skies of southern England.

Since 2019, the project has successfully reintroduced 37 eagles to the Isle of Wight, with the first pair breeding in 2023 and more establishing territories along the South Coast.

Exmoor has already emerged as a hotspot for these birds. The ENPA says satellites show the precise locations of the birds and, over the past few years, seven white-tailed eagles have been tracked visiting the area, drawn by the region’s rich marine environment and coastal woodlands.

White-tailed Eagles formerly bred on the coast of Exmoor and the surrounding areas diverse ecosystems, which is abundant in species such as grey mullet, provided exceptional breeding habitats.

There are proposals to introduce a group of up to 20 white-tailed eagles to Exmoor. Credit: PA.

Extensive research on the diet of the Isle of Wight birds has shown they favour fish as they mature and begin breeding.

Now, plans are underway to release juvenile eagles on Exmoor to bolster the growing population.

But before introducing any of the birds to the park, the ENPA is now asking members of the public to share their views of the conservation scheme through an online survey and at engagement events.

The authority said it wants to ensure that the community plays a central role in shaping this significant conservation effort.

Ali Hawkins Senior Ecologist for ENPA said: “White-tailed eagles are an important flagship species in coastal ecosystems and used to be found right across the UK but are now one of our rarest species and listed as a species of Conservation Concern.

"We have been doing a lot of liaison with local landowners and shoots regarding white-tailed eagles already visiting Exmoor.

White-Tailed Eagles are not said to be a threat to livestock, according to those behind the project. Credit: PA.

"We’d really like to hear what people think about white-tailed eagles in our public perception survey and invite everyone to come to our events and to talk with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England who are experts on these birds, and our Exmoor National Park conservation staff and rangers."

Zoe Smith of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, and originally from Exmoor, added: "We think that releasing a small cohort of up to 20 birds over three years would help reinforce the English population by aiding the geographical expansion, and we would like to know what people think of this idea.

"Eagles from the Isle of Wight have been frequent visitors to Exmoor over the past five years and we know that many people have enjoyed seeing them. There’s a common fear for example that white-tailed eagles could predate livestock, but there’s been no record of this since the Isle of Wight project began. As their other common name ‘sea eagle’ suggests, they prefer to hunt fish but will also eat birds (including gulls and corvids), small mammals and dead animals (carrion).”