A NEW STUDY SHOWS EAGLES ONCE SPREAD THEIR WINGS OVER ENGLAND TOO Eagles would once have soared widely across English skies, but they disappeared at the hands of man: that’s a key finding from a new study looking at the historic distribution of Britain and Ireland’s two largest birds of prey.
The new research, published in the journal Bird Study, reveals that human persecution and habitat destruction have had a considerable impact on eagles over the last 1500 years. The study concludes that both white-tailed eagles and golden eagles were once found across large tracts of lowland and upland Britain and Ireland, but populations plummeted as a result of human activity.
Richard Evans, of RSPB Scotland and lead author of the study, said: “The results of this study are striking as they provide compelling evidence that eagles were widespread throughout most of Britain and Ireland in the Dark Ages. Between 500 and 1800AD we see massive loss of eagle range in the south, which is consistent with the effects of habitat loss and killing by humans, rather than the influence of climate change on habitat, or competitive exclusion, as some have suggested.”
Using a combination of place-name analysis, historic records and modern knowledge of the species’ ecology, researchers were able to estimate the former range and population of both eagles between 500 AD and the present day.
Although both eagles are found in Scotland, the species are now no more than casual visitors to England. But the research shows that, historically, both species would have been reasonably widespread across the entire UK. The golden eagle would have occurred in the English uplands, such as the Peak District National Park and the North York Moors, while the white-tailed eagle would have been dispersed across lowland England, especially at coastal and wetland sites.
Continued killing by humans eventually led to the UK extinction of the white-tailed eagle in the early years of the 20th century, while golden eagles still struggle in some parts of their range as a result of illegal persecution, and their recovery has now stalled. The limited recovery of white-tailed eagles has only been possible by reintroduction. Although the reintroduced white-tailed eagle population is healthy, at present they occupy only a fraction of their historic range.
A report commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage in 2008, [note], showed that illegal persecution in parts of Scotland is a probable reason why golden eagles have not been able to recolonise England successfully as a nesting species.
Persecutionof both Golden and the White-tailed Eagle still continues into the 21st Century
Sue Armstrong-Brown, of the RSPB, said: “There have been many changes in our countryside over the last few centuries, but we believe there is ample potential for eagles to return to skies where they have been absent for centuries. We’re not talking about a return to the Dark Ages, but we are asking for more enlightened attitudes to eradicate illegal persecution, which is still a major reason why these birds can’t return to England.”
Commenting on Richard Evans’ study, Scotland’s Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson said: “This informative study tells us much about the former distribution of eagles across Scotland. Birds of prey are an important part of Scotland’s biodiversity and our eagles are hugely popular with locals and visitors alike.”
The recent marked increase in sea eagles demonstrates how conservation and management efforts are beginning to make a real difference for these beautiful and iconic birds. The Scottish Government is also committed to working with our partners to tackle eagle persecution, with 2011 figures showing a welcome reduction in poisoning incidents for birds of prey.”
Additional Information
1) A conservation framework for golden eagles: implications for their conservation and management in Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No.193 (ROAME No. F05AC306). Whitfield, D P, Fielding, A H, McLeod, D R A and Haworth, P F (2008).
2) The abstract of the study is free to view on Bird Study’s website at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00063657.2012.683388 . A full copy of the study can be e-mailed on request.
Reintroductions of white-tailed eagles are ongoing in the east of Scotland
http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/projects/details/274707-east-scotland-sea-eagles-esse Reintroductions of both species continue in Ireland: http://www.goldeneagle.ie/ where white-tailed eagles are now breeding for the first time in 100 years:
http://www.goldeneagle.ie/news_viewnews.php?z=132&news_id=11&article=306In 2011, there were 57 pairs of white-tailed eagles nesting in Scotland
There is absolutely nothing new here. Philip Brown in his book “Birds of prey” told us all this years ago. Other “eminent experts” dismissed Philip Browns claims, notably Dr Leslie Brown, in his book “British Birds Of Prey” published in the mid- 1970′s. One elderly man, now deceased, remembered a pair of White Tailed Sea Eagles on the Isle Of Wight in the early 20th century.
Instead of telling us what we already knew, why don’t the RSPB instigate a re-introduction scheme that involves taking young eaglets from double nests in Scotland, then hacking them back in Northern England and North Wales. Within a few years the golden and white tailed eagles would be back where they belong.
Editor’s Comment. Hi Doug, in the early 1970′s when peregrine numbers here in the North West of England were at deaths door, the North West Raptor Group proposed double clutching and hacking back any extra eyass peregrines produced. The idea was dismissed out of hand then. The idea of removing a single eaglet from Scottish eyries containing two chicks is now being undertaken on a limited basis, however so far all the chicks removed are being exported to Ireland for reintroduction there. One other imortant observation, the Haweswater Golden eagle is now been ignored, many people have been asking for over a decade, why hasn’t a female been brought down from Scotland to continue the breeding in this iconic location?
I think we tend to think of Golden Eagles as birds of the high ground but I’ve seen them on low ground in Wyoming and Montana so they are obviously quite adaptable.
We have the worlds leading expert on captive breeding Eagles here in Scotland, he was forced to import foreign sub-species in order to establish a breeding program to produce Golden Eagles for falconry use and aviculture, with such a small market for these birds he now has cut production and only produces 4 or 5 birds a year when he has the ability to produce 20 birds. If he had been allowed to take his original stock from Scotland he would now have a surplus for re-introduction in England and Wales. This and the fact that there is plenty of scope for manipulating wild clutches to produce a surplus for release only goes to show either SNH AND Natural England dont want to expand the population OR they haven’t got a clue what they’re doing and from my limited experience I would lean towards the latter.
It’s bad enough that they wouldn’t consider manipulation of wild clutches/broods in the 70′s but with the knowledge we have gained over the last 40 years there is absolutely no excuse to rule this out now.
Falcoscot, you have hit the nail on the head, they don’t have a clue and do not want to expand the population of these magnificent birds into areas where they rightfully belong.
As for the RSPB, they have always resented the falconers knowledge and expertise and detest the fact that we can and do breed everything from kestrels to eagles in captivity.
The problem is that sympathy, legacies, and money tends to depend on everything being on the verge of extinction.
After all, we already have sparrow hawks in every garden, kestrels breeding in every window box, and peregrines breeding on every large building in every town and city, not to mention red kites in 16th century numbers and buzzards at saturation point. Bringing the golden eagle back to the English uplands would be the clearest sign yet that things are looking good for many of our raptors and we can’t have the general public thinking like that.
Doug, if only it was that simple, there was a lot of damage done by a few selfish falconers back in the 70′s/80′s when the Peregrine was on it’s knees and the falconry community has been trying to shake that off ever since.
The facts are that today falconers have developed captive breeding into a complete science, it’s not “can we” anymore, it’s “how many”, the sad thing is this knowledge is going to waste. SNH AND Natural England aren’t interested even though they’ve signed up to treaties such as the CMS that agrees to encourage captive breeding so what does that tell you…………….they dont want to expand the raptor population in the UK. “Protectionism” is the rule as it involves doing very little and spending very little so you can make out you’re doing something on a budget that just covers civil servants salaries, jobs for the boys !
Not sure about Kestrels in every window box, I hardly see them these days !
How about reintroducing Hen Harriers to England’s moorlands.
Editor’s Comment.Paul whats the point of doing that, the birs would only end up down the same rabbit hole. Mind you that hole is now getting very full.
Great Idea Paul, then the keepers can have fun wiping them out all over again.
Paul, I wrote to Richard Saunders, N-E guy responsible for the Harriers about nest management to provide a surplus for release and didn’t even get a reply.
It would be relatively easy to take a single egg from Scottish nest sites as the clutch was being laid, hatch it, rear it in a way it wouldn’t be imprinted and hack them back into safe area’s. The single egg from a nest would likely be replaced by the female if timing was right, certainly with early layers you could take the whole clutch and the bird would likely re-cycle anyway. There are ways of creating surplus but Natural England aren’t interested.
Falcoscot,thanks for your reply, can understand why shameful england are not interested, being as they are in the pockets of the landowners.
Doug Tricker, When experienced field workers are going to Harrier nest sites under construction by the female!!! and wandering the fells shouting and clapping hands making one hell of a din, is it any wonder the Harriers vacate the area.To witness this despicable field work is beyond comprehension. But of course Natural England are not interested are they?
Paul, you are spot on with the behaviour of the RSPB field workers regarding Hen Harriers.Is this the reason the Harriers have gone into a catastrophic decline in Bowland? We cannot blame the gamekeepers when this is happening on United Utilities land by nest twitching licensed individuals.
We have one solitary Golden eagle living in mid wales its not known wether its an escapee or recolonisation by a juvenile from scotland, why can’t we introduce a potential mate and try and get them breeding here once again, it would be fantastic for Wales, for bio-diversity,and the Welsh economy, now we have suitable habitat in Wales for golden eagles a full scale reintroduction programme should be implemented by the Welsh Assembly.
Editor’s Comment, Hi Robert we wish you luck because you will need it. There has been a single male eagle in the Haweswater valley for many years without a mate. Many like minded people have suggested what you are now proposing but the authorities are against bringing in a female. A very sad situation, because the male bird will eventually disappear for good.