A National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) programme has been hailed a success after five new white-tailed eagle chicks have been born as a result of it.
Minister of State for heritage and electoral reform, Malcolm Noonan, today (Monday, June 5) said the successful hatching of the chicks symbolised “the patience and careful planning of a long-term project such as the white-tailed eagle reintroduction project”.
“It gives us great hope and encouragement for the project which we always knew would take time and perseverance,” the minister said.
The original reintroduction programme involved releasing 100 young white-tailed eagles in Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry between 2007-2011.
In 2020, the NPWS began a second phase of the programme and by July 2020, a small breeding population of eight to 10 pairs had fledged 31 chicks in counties Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway and Tipperary.
According to Eamonn Meskell, who heads up the NPWS white-tailed eagle reintroduction project, it has not been without its challenges.
One particular example involved a male eagle, who had found a partner and produced chicks, but was then widowed when he lost his partner to avian influenza (bird flu])and ended up living alone in east Clare for the last four years.
However Meskell also revealed that there is now another happier chapter for this widowed male because he found a new partner and they have now produced two chicks together.
“We have been monitoring these eagles for many years and of course we feel very familiar with their history as part of the project.
“The male eagle had been single for four years since his previous partner died,” Meskell explained.
“Of course the fact that he has now found and bred with a new partner is significant to our project but we’re also delighted to see this eagle that we know well make a new bond and start a new family,” Meskell added.
He believes the journey the widowed male has been on brings the reintroduction programme to life for many people and helps them “to learn about eagle breeding behaviour and the fragility of our reintroduction efforts”.
“For our project, the appearance of any new chick is a milestone and shows that the continuation of the project is proving successful,” Meskell added.
According to Minister Noonan the reintroduction of the white tailed eagle has not always been straightforward with factors such as “avian flu and in the past illegal poisoning scuppering efforts”.
“The current phase of the release programme aims to ensure the population is robust enough to give this once extinct species the best possible chance of long-term success in Ireland.
“The news from Clare today of five chicks born to eagles from both phases of the reintroduction programme – and indeed to their offspring – shows why our continued efforts, perseverance and hope can lead not just to lovely stories such as this, but to hope and good news for nature,” the minister added.