Two white-tailed eagles have fledged from a wild nest in Sussex 250 years after they were hunted to extinction in the south of England.
And with a third chick fledging from a nest in Dorset – it’s a record year for the species. The precise location of the nest in Sussex is being kept confidential.
White-tailed eagles, which are commonly known as sea eagles are Britain’s largest bird of prey. They were hunted to extinction in the south of England in the 18th Century but a total of six have now fledged since the start of a reintroduction programme in 2019, using birds transported from Scotland and released under licence on the Isle of Wight.
White-tailed eagles are Britain’s largest birds of prey with a wingspan of up to 2.5 metres and were once widespread across England. Human persecution caused their extinction, with the last pair breeding in southern England in 1780.
A single male chick – G834 – fledged from parents G463 and G466, which were released in 2020 and paired up in Dorset in 2023.
Forestry England said it was their first successful breeding attempt and “made more remarkable by the fact that the male adult bird has only one leg” after losing the other four years ago.
Two female chicks – G841 and G842 – were the offspring of G405 and G471 in Sussex – also released in 2020. The same pair bred in 2023 and 2024.
All of the chicks are fitted with satellite tags so the project team can track their progress.
Forestry England project officer Steve Egerton-Read said: “We have been patiently monitoring these nests for many months and hoping they would be successful. It is always such an exciting time but also incredibly nerve wracking.
“Returning lost species like the white-tailed eagle is a key part of Forestry England’s approach to restoring biodiversity and helping nature to recover. We hope that in years to come these iconic birds will become a much more common sight, inspiring future generations and deepening their connection with nature.”