The reintroduction of white-tailed eagles to England is still at the consultation stage but Suffolk is the prefered choice. We believe the East Anglian coast could provide the best opportunity for a successful reintroduction to England because of the available habitat. Young white-tailed eagles sometimes visit the region in winter (a young bird spent two weeks in North West Norfolk in 2005) and this gives us a useful indication of how the species behaves in the region.
As well as helping to secure the future of the white-tailed eagle in the UK, we believe the project will boost the local economy and provide a focus for education and interaction with nature. The reintroduction of red kites has been very successful, not only securing their population, but generating interest in wildlife.
Concerns have been raised about their impact on livestock or other wildlife and these are being assessed. Local opinion surveys have been conducted in Suffolk to gauge initial local reactions in advance of more extended dialogues with landowners and other stakeholders.
White-tailed eagles have a very varied diet of carrion and live prey including fish, birds and mammals. They are a natural part of our ecosystem and coexist with other wetland species throughout Europe so they should not have an impact on any other species.
It is unlikely the eagles will take livestock because of the abundant natural food. However, it is possible they could take small piglets, lambs or chickens. In Scotland, they have taken lambs but these have been mainly sick or dead individuals. Ourselves along with Natural England are looking into potential impacts. In the unlikely event of problems, we are determined no landowners will suffer significant financial disadvantage.
I hope this has explained the RSPB's position on these species. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely
Richard James
Wildlife Advisor
RSPB UK HQ
The Lodge, Sandy, Beds, England
SG19 2DL
01767 693690
We are very worried about the
We are very worried about the introduction of the white-tailed eagle in Suffolk. They are proposing to put 15 pairs a year down for 5 years at a cost to the public of over one million pounds.
When they were in East Anglia over 200 years ago the countryside was a different place, there were no free range pigs or free range chickens both of which the public now demand. We are fighting this vigorously and have had 2 meetings already and another one planned for 8th March. The CLA and NFU are being very supportive and collating everything and arranging the meetings.
We have evidence what these eagles have done to the wild live where they have been released in Scotland. All wildlife has disappeared on the wetlands and the eagles are now moving up the mountains for food. These birds have an 8ft wingspan and will terrify our sows when swooping down near them to help themselves to our piglets. Sows when frightened in this way will panic and just run through the fences and the next place is the A12. If they escape on to the A12 and cause an accident we are held responsible. They mention compensation but how can we prove that the sea eagles have taken piglets, frightened the sow to either escape through the fences or to overlay on their new born piglets. This is only the point of view of an outdoor pig farmer, we now have free range chickens becoming very popular in the area, thousands of birds being kept for egg production and meat running about in the fields. There are many flocks of breeding sheep with lambs running about outside apart from game birds, fisheries and people’s pets. Never mind the small garden birds and such endangered species as the bittern that the RSPB should be protecting.
It seems strange they can afford to spend over 1 million pounds of the tax payer’s money on releasing these birds into an area where they are not wanted but can’t afford to repair the harbour wall at Southwold and do other essential coastal protection repairs.
There was a reason why they became extinct 200 years ago, so why try and introduce them now in an area abundant with wildlife, agricultural livestock, fisheries and many other birds that they will kill and eat. Did you see the East Anglian Daily Times on Saturday, there was a two page spread about the releasing of these birds.
Jimmy