21 eagles chicks released into the wild at four Munster sites 

TAKING FLIGHT: 21 Norwegian-born White Tailed Eagle chicks were released into the wild at the four Munster sites - on the Shannon Estuary Lough Derg Waterford and in Killarney National Park (pictured). It is hoped they will bolster Ireland’s existing White-Tailed Eagle population. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

CHECKING: Checking everything was OK before releasing the birds were: Dr Allan Mee Advisor White Tailed Eagle Project Phase 1 Danny O'Keeffe National Parks and Wildlife Service district conservation officer. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

A significant milestone has been reached with the re-introduction of White-Tailed (Sea) Eagles to Ireland this weekend, as 21 chicks were released into the wild.

The Norwegian-born Eagle chicks were released at the four Munster sites - Killarney National Park, on the Shannon Estuary, Lough Derg, and in Waterford. It is hoped they will bolster Ireland’s existing White-Tailed Eagle population. 

The chicks have been kept in purpose-built enclosures at the four locations while they grew, matured, and developed the feathers and muscles necessary for flight. They were carefully monitored and tagged by NPWS staff leading the collaborative reintroduction programme, which began in 2007. The satellite tags will allow the project to monitor their progress and their integration into the existing Irish breeding population.

The chicks were collected under licence in June from nests throughout the Trondheim area of West-Central Norway by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA). Their release is part of the second phase of the highly successful project to reintroduce this magnificent, iconic bird back to Irish skies. 
 

TWO PHASES 

The First Phase ran from 2007-2011, managed by the NPWS and the Golden Eagle Trust, when one hundred chicks were released into the wild. Since then, over 35 Irish-born chicks have fledged here, some of whom have begun to rear their own chicks. Indeed, this year one nesting pair on Lough Derg produced three chicks. 

This Second Phase, managed by NPWS Regional Manager Eamonn Meskell with the advice of Dr. Allan Mee, will secure the substantial gains of the first phase of the Programme and expand the range of the existing population, which has so far nested in sites in Kerry, Cork, Tipperary, Galway, and Clare.

The Second Phase was launched last year, when 10 Norwegian-born chicks were flown into Ireland and released into the wild on the Shannon Estuary and Lough Derg. Of these, an astonishing nine are still alive, and have travelled throughout the country, with one even travelling to Scotland. 

SUCCESSES

The recent successes of the project represent the ongoing cooperation of these different groups who are seeking to restore a lost element of Ireland’s natural heritage. 

Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD paid tribute to the collaborative approach. “The success of this project depends on the collaboration of many groups, including our NPWS teams, local farmers, conservationists and communities, the Norwegian Authorities and many other partners in Norway. These iconic birds would not have taken flight this weekend were it not for their collective efforts. I’d like to pay tribute to all involved and acknowledge their commitment to making this project a success, now and in the years to come.”

Returning this lost flagship species to Irish skies will be a huge step in restoring Irish natural heritage and improving Irish conservation efforts, and will benefit Irish biodiversity more broadly.