WTE Full Text Documents - English (online available)

A White-tailed Eagle Database Project

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136. White-tailed eagle – Avian Icon returns to the Forests of Austria

White-tailed eagle – Conservation Programme funded and supported by the World Wildlife Fund Austria

By Christian Pichler

The White-tailed eagle is an impressive bird of prey and the fact that it can once again be observed in Austria is a result of the dedicated hard work of many individuals. The return of the White-tailed Eagle as a breeding bird in Austria is a remarkable success story of which we as conservationists are all very proud. Although the first proven breeding attempt for many decades occurred just twelve years ago in 1999, there are now estimated to be 13-15 breeding pairs, most of which are located in the eastern lowland areas of Austria. The aim of WWF is to work towards a viable and stable population of between 20-30 breeding pairs. Beginning in 1999 the WWF initiated a conservation strategy in Austria for the White-tailed eagle consisting of two separate phases. The first phase is to ensure for the total protection of the bird by a programme of monitoring and ringing. The second phase is to mount an anti poisoning campaign – titled “ Poison Beware!”.

History

The White-tailed Eagle in Austria was first mentioned in the year 1756. From the middle of the 19th century White-tailed Eagles in Austria were heavily persecuted. Throughout the Second World War the population recovered with new territories being established resulting in many successful nests throughout this period. Following the increase of breeding pairs during the second world war records have revealed that the White-tailed Eagle continued to breed in Austria until the end of the 1950s. The last recorded breeding attempt took place in the Danube floodplains in 1959. Subsequently, the Austrian population collapsed once more resulting from a combination of intensified persecution together with the use of pesticides such as DDT, which caused eggshell thinning and breakage. By the mid-1970s only a few wintering White-tailed Eagles remained in Austria. Around this period, however, massive protection efforts in Austria commenced in an attempt to restore the White-tailed eagle as a breeding bird once more. The use of DDT was prohibited in Austria, and a campaign to prevent the illegal hunting of protected species began, a number of protection areas were established to ensure nesting pairs of WTE were not disrupted.

“Poison Beware!”

A rapid increase in the illegal use of poison began to occur in Austria during the 1990’s, prompting joint collaboration between the World Wildlife Fund Austria, BirdLife Austria and the animal rights NGO “Vier Pfoten“ to initiate the project titled “Poison Beware!”. The project aims are to raise public awareness of the illegal use of pesticides, for example Carbofuran which was being used against both mammalian and avian predators illegally. The project also seeks to improve the prosecution of those individuals who use poison, while at the same time reduce the incidents of poisoning overall in Austria by improved detection. A major reason for the WWF’s involvement in the poisoning issue, was the fact that poisoned baits pose a serious threat to endangered raptors like White-tailed and Imperial Eagle – the populations of both species had just started to recover when the poisoning wave began to emerge, causing an unacceptable number of causalities among large raptors.

From 2004 onwards the project was financially supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Environment and conducted in close co-operation with the Austrian Hunters Association, the police, especially the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Criminal Offices of the federal states and the Raptor and Owl Rehabilitation Centre Haringsee. This close co-operation soon yielded positive results, leading quickly to a marked decline in the numbers of reported poisoning incidents being recorded. Disappointingly even today the problem is still not resolved, just a few months ago two Eastern Imperial Eagles died of Carbofuran poisoning. Moreover the project “Poison Beware!” deals with lead intoxication and illegal shooting of protected raptors. In the last two years, at least two White-tailed Eagles are known to have died as a direct consequence of ingestion of lead after eagles have scavenged on animal carcasses which had been shot. The image of the dead female WTE used to illustrate this article died after ingesting lethal levels of lead; 6,9ppm of lead was found in the liver and 12,9ppm in the kidney. During this same period four additional White-tailed eagles were known to have been shot.

The project “Poison Beware!”on the one hand focuses on raising public awareness to the illegal use of poisons to kill protected fauna, in particular raptors. Of course the public at large are also being educated to these problems, but we also direct our efforts towards particular targeted groups. Veterinarians and local communities who live and work in the regions where White-tailed eagles over-winter are all kept informed with information of how they can help protect these birds. Just as important, hunters, conservation wardens and the police all belong to this list of specialised target groups.

WWF Austria has now produced a “Poison Beware!” manual. The manual contains detailed instructions of how people finding poisoned raptors and carnivores can report these incidents to the right authorities. This manual is distributed to more than 1000 veterinarians all over eastern Austria each year, while additional information is published on a service homepage for veterinarians. A poster containing information on poisoning issues is distributed to more than 200 communities located in the wintering areas of White-tailed eagles. These posters are then placed on official community information boards within each appropriate region. Instructions on how to report poisoning incidents are also published in the journal of the Austrian Hunters Association. Articles on White-tailed eagles and the “Poison Beware –initiative” is sometimes published in the same journal. The “Poison Beware!”-project is also presented and discussed at information meetings for regional conservation wardens. After each major poisoning incident, joint press-releases by WWF and the Hunters Association are made. When there is a poisoning incident one person from WWF and one person from the Hunters Association together with the police examine the crime site and also scrutinize the surrounding area for any evidence of further baits and causalities that had gone undetected.

Four years ago there was a spectacular case which kept everyone busy for about one year. A White-tailed Eagle was shot in Bernhardsthal in December 2007. Incredibly, the incident was witnessed by a jogger who instantly was able to notify the police and WWF of what he had just observed. The suspected perpetrator, a local hunting official, was quickly arrested and interviewed by the local police. Under questioning the hunter admitted he had shot the bird, but maintained that the bird he had shot had been a crow. When questioned further, the hunter was unable to produce the body of the crow he claimed to have shot. The police forensics team collected blood samples from the spot where the bird had been shot as well as from the car of one of the two suspects. Following the DNA analysis of the samples the results confirmed that in both cases the blood samples were from a White-tailed eagle.
Following a further forensic examination of the same vehicle a third blood stain was subsequently discovered and analysed for its DNA content. The analysis proved this additional sample had originated from a second White-tailed eagle which had been killed previously. The hunter was consequently charged not only for having shot both eagles but also for “endangering an animal population in a larger area” ( Section 182 of the Austrian Criminal Code). The latter paragraph contained in Austrian legislation had never been applied under such circumstances in any Austrian court of Law. Had the additional charge been successful and upheld by the court, the fine the hunter would have been asked to pay would have been far more severe. Despite a detailed and expert testimony provided by the WWF, the court decided that the killing of the eagle did not constitute an offence under Section182 of the Austrian Criminal Code; the hunter was therefore acquitted on this charge. However in respect to the admitted charge of shooting a protected species , the court confiscated the hunting license for a period of 5 years and also imposed a fine of 4200 Euros (£4620). The World Wildlife Fund Austria supported by Austrian Hunters Association, united together to ensure that the prosecution of the individual responsible for this crime resulted in a successful conviction as a warning to others.

White-tailed eagle Monitoring Programme

Our monitoring programme consists of the winter-monitoring, the regular monitoring of breeding sites, together with a comprehensive ringing programme of all nestlings. Due to topographical features, White-tailed Eagles occur almost exclusively in the eastern lowland areas of Austria. In these core areas synchronous counts of wintering eagles have been conducted since 2001. In Austria and its border areas with other countries research has shown between 100–150 White-tailed Eagles are present in mid-winter.

After decades of forced absence as a breeding species in our country, the White-tailed eagle returned as a successful breeding bird in 2001. The existing breeding population now expands across the three federal states of Styria, Burgenland and Lower Austria.

Currently, 13–15 White-tailed Eagle pairs breed in these federal territories. Breeding pairs are now located in a mixture of different habitat types, like the riparian forests located along rivers Danube and March. Other pairs nest in close to fish ponds which are surrounded by coniferous rich area in the higher elevated region of Waldviertel. However, breeding territories are always established close to rivers and pond where fish stocks are plentiful. Between 2001–2010 more than 50 young eaglets fledged from just 13 eyrie’s. The rate of successful breeding pairs (percentage of successful broods) was 69%, total nest success (number of young per breeding pair) was 1,1 chicks and brood size (number of young per successful breeding pair) was 1,7.

There have been 13 recoveries of wintering birds, almost exclusively from a north easterly direction. White-tailed Eagles from the Baltic States, Scandinavia and north-west Russia migrate to Austria regularly. Individuals of neighbouring countries like Hungary have also been recorded. To date there is no conclusive proof of any foreign bird having successfully bred in Austria. It may be that birds in eastern Austria are more likely from the Danube population, while for example breeding pairs from the Waldviertel region are more related to northern birds just across the boarder, e. g. from the Trebon area in the Czech Republic. Obviously, more data is needed.
Since 2007, Austria has participated in the International Colour-ringing Programme; In total 10 young have been ringed so far. The combination of Austria’s designated ringing colours are black above green. The other individual rings which are used to ring White-tailed eagles in Austria are uncoloured aluminium.

Outlook for the Future

The goal now is to extend our monitoring and protection project in respect to this species. The on going protection of nesting territories remains a big challenge. As Austria’s White-tailed eagle population expands, eagles are beginning to select nesting territories where their protection is at best limited or very difficult. One of the main challenges for the future security of the WTE in Austria is to find practical solutions to protecting these breeding locations. One additional important concern which must be addressed, Austrian wildlife legislation is quite weak and often difficult to implement and therefore must be strengthened.

Wind Turbines Concerns

Last winter the first case was reported of a White-tailed Eagle which had been killed when it collided with the blades of a wind farm turbine. There is little doubt that in the future this human introduced threat is just one additional problem that needs to be taken into account to ensure the species is adequately protected. A sensible regional planning scheme could also be an important future tool to help save essential habitats and the birds that are dependent upon these special areas for their survival. Furthermore, the fight against illegal persecution as well as introducing legislation banning the use of lead in ammunition is a very important consideration.

Many thanks to Christian Pichler, WWF Austria, for allowing his article to be published at The Haliaeetus albicilla Collection, Looduskalender
WWF Austria: http://www.wwf.at/

And thanks to Terry Pickford/RaptorPolitics.org.uk
http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/
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137.White-tailed Eagle returned to England’s Sky’s- Will the choice be Cumbria ?

Terry Pickford on White-tailed Eagles in England and Poland

In many ways, we are living in a remarkable age of progress for nature conservation. Raptors driven to extinction in Britain long ago by Man’s ignorance and intolerance are being brought back into our modern word by a welcome programme of reintroduction, turning what was once considered to be an impossible dream into a reality and bringing enjoyment and pleasure to our more enlightened society.The White-tailed Eagle is the only remaining raptor extirpated from England as a breeding bird which has yet to be returned.

In January 2006, English Nature (Natural England) published detailed proposals for the reintroduction of up the 80 White-tailed Eagle chicks into East Anglia over a period of four years. Plans were already well advanced to bring the first batch of eaglets from Poland’s Sierakow Forest where numbers of pairs have increased dramatically in the last decade. However just last month Natural England announced that because of financial cut backs plans to bring back White-tailed Eagles to Suffolk were being placed on indefinite hold. The RSPB although disappointed at the cancellation of the Suffolk project have insisted it remains committed to returning White-tailed Eagles back to England and will begin to investigate other methods of funding a reintroduction scheme, including looking at a number of other release locations in England. Let us all hope that the sensible option of Cumbria is top of the RSPB list!

There can now be little doubt White-tailed Eagles since their initial introduction north of the border are bringing unforeseen economic growth and renewed prosperity to parts of rural Scotland. Increasing numbers of birdwatchers are now visiting the highlands and islands each year just to see and study this magnificent avian predator, bringing “tourist dollars” to the small rural communities where they stay. A study on the island of Mull in 2005 established that eagle-related ecotourism was contributing £1.5 million pounds per annum to the local economy. This financial benefit is now estimated to be at least double the previous figure. Undoubtedly, the growing interest in the species focuses attention on the importance of its continued survival to the prosperity of those isolated communities where it occurs.

Mixed Fortunes in Europe

Standing at 900mm high and with a wing span of 2.5m or more, the White-tailed Eagle is one of Europe’s largest and most majestic birds of prey, second perhaps to the larger Lammergeyer found in the French Alps, Austria and now Switzerland. A mature female White-tailed Eagle can weight almost 6 kilos. The adult is recognised by its striking pure white tail, immense yellow bill, yellow scaly legs and yellow iris. The head and neck are much paler than the rest of the brown body; the wings are dark brown and much broader than those of a Golden Eagle. White-tailed Eagles take five or six years to reach breeding maturity and can live to an age of 25 or even 30 years. It seems conceivable that the species can breed to an age of 25 years or even longer.

The largest White-tailed Eagle eyrie on record was discovered in Poland. Occupied by the same breeding pair for more than 20 years, this huge construction was positioned 27 meters above the ground at the top of a mature Scots Pine. The longest-tenanted European White-tailed Eagle’s nest – the remains of which could still be observed several years ago on Wolin Island along the Baltic coast – was in use for 70 consecutive seasons.

The White-tailed Eagle (or Bielik) is Poland’s national emblem. The Polish population has never been at risk of extinction, thanks to strong historic wildlife legislation dating back as far as 1921. Poland’s White-tailed Eagles have therefore been spared the systematic persecution that occurred throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in Scotland and many other European countries.

From just 30 pairs in 1945, numbers have now increased to an estimated 950 pairs in Poland. Currently this is the largest population in Central Europe and the Baltic area, and it represents more than 5-7 per cent of the world population. Of the 333 territories examined in Poland in 2000, 198 eyries produced a staggering 287 fledged young – 59.5 per cent of nests being successful. In 2005, of the 80 White-tailed Eagle territories studied throughout the Sierakow Forest and surrounding forest regions, 65 per cent of nests successfully produced young. Of the 39 eaglets ringed in the Sierakow Forest in 2005, four nests contained a single eaglet, 13 held two and a further three eyries produced triplets. The high incidence of triplets in Poland is thought to occurs due to an abundance of prey throughout the whole year in most nesting territories.

As the number of pairs of White-tailed Eagles in Poland continues to increase each year, the birds’ territories are shrinking. In one relatively small area of forest of just 1,300 ha, Polish scientists located seven breeding pairs; a density of one pair per 186 ha. Moreover, habitat choices are changing. Until the 1970’s Polish eyries were located almost exclusively in extensive mature pine forests (70-80 years old), but an increasing number of pairs have since begun to choose smaller forests, constructing their nests in woodlands as small as 10 ha, often on sites surrounded by extensive fields used for agriculture.

A personal dream comes true

My obsessive passion for eagles began when I was a small boy living in the Derbyshire Peak District sixty years ago, but it was not until 1962, when I was 18, that I saw my first Golden Eagle while working as a unpaid RSPB volunteer on Speyside. It was while watching eagles amongst the ancient pines of the Abernethy Forest I first met and talked to a one of the Highland’s foremost Golden Eagle legends the late, but never forgotten Seaton Gordon. It was another 22 years, and a photography trip to Skye, for me to connect with the larger White-tailed Eagle. That single observation made from Peter Urquart’s small fishing boat inspired me to seek out this elusive raptor in Poland, a part of Europe that until relatively recently was off-limits to western visitors, behind the iron Curtain.

Through the efforts of raptor conservation friends in the Czech Republic, a country I had first visited in 1967, it was arranged via their Polish contacts to introduce me to Professor Mizera, a leading Polish White-tailed Eagle expert. In September 2002 I received an official invitation from Poland’s Eagle Protection Committee to visit the Sierakow Forest, a White-tailed Eagle hot spot, to pursue my insatiable interests in raptors. Having obtained approval to photograph White-tailed Eagles within a number of the public exclusion zones that encircle all the nesting trees throughout the country, I was hopeful that I could now obtain the images I required within a matter of a few months – or so I thought. What I hadn’t fully appreciated was that although I was one of a small number of approved licence recipients, my project would take the best part of seven years to complete.

The Dream Begins

During the first few days exploring the Sierakow Forest in the golden autumn of 2002, I was guided by an enthusiastic Prof. Mizera along seemingly endless forest paths, covered by a soft carpet of lichen and bilberry. The chilly seasonal dampness was already beginning to transform the surrounding forest canopy into a rich multitude of spectacular colours. The pungent aroma of fungi completely filling the still, moist air as we walked through the eagles’ serene forest kingdom. Each eyrie I was shown measured about 2 metres across and had been constructed at the top of a very mature Scots Pine. The remains of dead fish and a profusion of discarded feathers and white droppings were clearly visible, scattered in a wide arc around the base of each nesting tree we inspected. At one point I heard the yelp of an eaglet from not too far away-at least one fledgling was still within the territory so late in the year.

In the presence of an Avian dinosaurs

Over the next 7 years, I spent many hours photographing White-tailed Eagles at and near the nest, and enjoyed many priceless encounters with these incredible birds throughout each season of the year. On one memorable occasion, I was sitting in my hide when I suddenly became aware that the eagle I had been admiring through my lens at the far side of the woodland fire-break was now flying towards my elevated position, almost 9 metres above the forest floor.

With no time to think or focus my lens, I managed to expose two frames before the huge shape resembling a winged dinosaur vanished with deafening wing-beats over my head, alighting with a heavy thud on top of my hide.
For the next few seconds I was spellbound, hardly able to move a muscle as the huge eagle walked on top of the hide, just centimetres above my head. When it stopped moving the silence all around me was profound-the only sounds I could hear were my breathing and the pounding of my heart. After a few moments, I gained enough courage to place my eye to a small hole in the wooden roof above me, and for an amazing moment I was eyeball to eyeball with an adult White-tailed Eagle. I don’t know who was more surprised, the eagle or me. The bird did not wait around, taking flight into the depths of the forest just as quickly as it had appeared.

An unforgettable Experience

Throughout this thrilling project, I collected many extraordinary and stimulating memories of the beauty and rich diversity of Poland’s state forests, and enjoyed the first-hand observations of fauna and flora that in many cases have already disappeared from large areas of other over-developed countries. These experiences, together with the kindness and hospitality I was shown by my host, will remain with me for the rest of my life.

The following statement was made in 2004 by the General Director of Poland’s State Forests, in celebration of 80 years’ management of resources by the “State Forests” National Forest Holdings:

“Our forests are exceptional in Europe, not only due to their natural character, but mainly because of their common accessibility. It enables us, as foresters, to treat the Polish forests as a great gift for Europe, especially in the year of Poland’s accession to the European Community. For 80 years the State Forests have been treating these habitats as a natural wealth, an integral and common good belonging to every citizen. Let it remain this way.

I am confident that the hundreds of hours spent sitting in cramped hides at temperatures lower than -15 C to obtain the images used to illustrate this story have been hours well spent. I hope you will agree that the return of the White-tailed Eagle into the English Landscape will provide a legacy we can all appreciate and enjoy in the years to come.

Terry R. Pickford, 2010 http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/

Many thanks to Terry Pickford, RaptorPolitics.org.uk, for allowing his article to be published at the Haliaeetus albicilla Collection, Looduskalender
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138.A reward of 5000 Euro is being offered for information leading to conviction of those responsible for poisoning four White-tailed Eagles in Northern Germany

At least four White-tailed Eagles have been poisoned in 2010 in a region in Northern Germany. Three birds have been found at the edge of a copse west of Gothendorf, one bird between the villages Güster and Fitzen, NABU reported on January 27th 2011.

Test results from four White-tailed Eagles which were all found dead in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany last year have now confirmed each of the birds had been poisoned by the banned insecticide Mevinphos. German conservationists regard these incidents as a very serious setback for White-tailed eagle protection in the region. Otto Klose, local chairman of The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) in Eutin, expressed his horror at the use of banned poisons for predator control. Mevinphos has been banned in the EU since 2007, and in Germany since 1990.

According to the NABU, the number of poisoning incidents which have taken place at the edge of a wooden copse west of the village of Gothendorf points to target actions directed against protected predators. Three poisoned White-tailed Eagles were found near Gothendorf last year: one in January, two in September. Another dead eagle was discovered in June between the villages of Güster and Fitzen.

Poisoned baits not only attract foxes, ravens and crows but also scavenging eagles. All four eagles poisoned last year are known to have died instantly after ingesting the poisoned baits.

Otto Klose said “This is a bitter setback for the White-tailed Eagle protection in the region”. He explained: “One of these eagles was well known in the region and he had recently established a new breeding territory nearby. This adult eagle was a regular visitor at Lake Klenzau where nature lovers had watched the bird catching fish on a regular basis. Due to the loss of this adult eagle we will probably see no eagle offspring here this year. We hope the prosecuting authorities will stop these criminal activities soon.”

One reason for the illegal persecution of predators is, according to NABU Schleswig-Holstein, the traditional but wrong idea of many hunters who believe they have a right to control the numbers of birds of prey together with mammalian predators. The German game laws supports these attempts of “predator control” in a way, because they allow (or offer far-reaching opportunities) to control species like least weasel, badger and raccoon dog.

According to a ministry spokesman, the person who uses poisoned baits laced with Mevinphos to control foxes and other predator species is unknown. The use of poisoned baits resulting in the deaths of birds of prey together with additional carrion feeders in this way is regarded as reckless. The ministry has now confirmed that it will use all their legal authorities and the environmental authorities to stop these criminal activities.

The intentional poisoning of protected wildlife is not regarded as a trivial offence in Germany. A complaint against the unknown perpetrator resulting in the deaths of four White-tailed Eagles in the districts of Ostholstein and Herzogtum Lauenburg has been filed. (Note: both districts are part of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany. Capital of the federal state is Kiel). The World Wildlife Fund has now offered a reward of 5000 Euro for information leading to the capture and conviction of those perpetrators responsible.

All eagles have been examined in the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Berlin). At the end of December 2010 Leibniz Institute was able to confirm that the four eagles had all been poisoned by Mevinphos. The corpse of one of the eagles examined was also found to contain four lead shot pellets, however this was not the cause of death.

The police have now asked members of the public having any information regarding these incidents to contact any police station, or to contact the Projektgruppe Seeadlerschutz (Protection of the White-tailed Eagle Project Group from Schleswig-Holstein), the telephone numbers to use are as follows: 0431/880-4501(on Tuesdays and Thursdays)or on the mobile phone number 0171/9206562.

Thanks to NABU-Schleswig Holstein for allowing the translation to be published at The Haliaeetus albicilla Collection, Looduskalender
NABU Schleswig-Holstein/Germany: http://schleswig-holstein.nabu.de/theme ... 13384.html


Translation by Anne, in cooperation with Terry Pickford, RaptorPolitics.org.uk http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/


White-tailed Eagles in Schleswig-Holstein, update, March 5th 2011
67 White-tailed Eagle pairs settled in Schleswig-Holstein in 2010. 50 of these pairs bred successfully and raised up 88 young eagles. In the year before there were 54 breeding pairs; 68 young birds fledged successfully. The White-tailed Eagle was nearly extinct in Schleswig-Holstein 40 years ago.
Source: Hamburger Abendblatt, March 5th 2011/NABU, March 4th 2011
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139.Bird awareness danube rafting, January 2011

“Everyone can climb their own Everest or raft their Danube, it's all down to motivation," said Alexander Pazderski.
According to sofiaecho.com, he is one of two Bulgarian bird enthusiasts who crossed the Bulgarian stretch of the Danube River in the second part of January 2011. Pazderski and Borislav Naidenov aimed to raise awareness for endangered bird species in Bulgaria living along the Danube: the Phalacrocorax pygmaeus, Aythya nyroca, Haliaeetus albicilla and the Pelecanus crispus.

Read more:
4days4 species http://4days4species.blogspot.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/4days4species?v=wall
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140.The status of diurnal birds of prey in Turkey

By Levent Turan. Journal of Raptor Research: 39(1): March 2005: 36-54.

Haliaeetus albicilla: scroll the page down

http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/jrr/v039n0 ... 00054.html
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141.Ingestion of Lead from Spent Ammunition: Implications for Wildlife and Humans

Proceedings of the Conference: Ingestion of Lead from Spent Ammunition: Implications for Wildlife and Humans
Editors: Richard T. Watson, Mark Fuller, Mark Pokras and Grainger Hunt

White-tailed Eagles mentioned in:
Lead Poisoning in White-tailed Sea Eagles: Causes and Approaches to Solutions in Germany
Oliver Krone, Norbert Kenntner, Anna Trinogga, Mirjam Nadjafzadeh, Friederike Scholz, Justine Sulawa, Katrin Totschek, Petra Schuck-Wersig, and Roland Zieschank (see URL below, table of contents and all articles)

Order the book:
http://www.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/kvk_en.html

Or read the online publication. Online publication: Copyright © 2009 The Peregrine Fund
Table of contents and all articles online available. Click here:
https://www.peregrinefund.org/lead_conf ... edings.htm

KW: Lead poisoning, wild birds, ammunition, hunters, waterfowl, hunting season, lead contamination, lead shot poisoning
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142.Weddings and funerals: The Irish reintroduction programme, February 2011

Source: Independent.ie. By Treacy Hogan, Environment Correspondent, February 28 2011

http://www.independent.ie/national-news ... 59015.html
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143.How long do White-tailed Eagles live? Some notes

Estonia
The oldest known white-tailed eagle in Estonia, by now 24 years old, was ringed in 1985 in Emajõe-Suursoo.
Source: Renno Nellis, Looduskalender 2008
http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/2293


Finland
On the east coast of Sweden, in the county of Västerbotten near the city of Umeå a white-tailed eagle was observed last week (January 2011) feeding on the carcass of an animal. From the leg rings it turned out that here was the oldest white-tailed eagle in the world – the bird was ringed in Sodanküla in Finland in July 1980. The age of the white-tailed eagle is thirty years and seven months.

Records from earlier observations show that the same white-tailed eagle has wintered in Sweden already as a young bird. In December 1984 it was seen south of Stockholm. The next ten observations are reported from Gävleborg county in Sweden. Thirteen years have passed since the latest observation before the present.

Finland, the oldest Finnish White-tailed Eagle until 1998
E-3.948 was ringed as a chick in southwestern Finland on 19.6.1973. More than 25 years later (29.7.1998), the bird was found dead in the same area.
Source: Finnish Museum of Natural History is an independent research institution functioning under the University of Helsinki/ Interesting resightings and recoveries of ringed birds (updated 4 April 2007)
http://www.luomus.fi/english/zoology/ri ... esting.htm


Finland´s oldest Sea Eagle, seen in the wild in 2009, Photo
25y 8m at the photo
27y 5 m last control
According to the photographer Hannu Vainiopekka, the WTE in his picture was the oldest WTE seen in the wild in 2009 when it was photographed in February in SW-Finland. It was ringed in June 1983 in Quarken-area which is the narrowest part in the Gulf of Bothnia in the Northern Baltic sea. This bird has been controlled again in December 2010, also in SW-Finland.
Map: http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiedosto:Kvarken.png
Source (information): Message from Hannu Vainiopekka to Looduskalender forum member ame, March 7th 2011
Source (photo): Hannu Vainiopekka, Sea Eagle Photos from Finland
http://www.dataeura.fi/kuvia/Sea_Eagle/index.html


Germany
According to the book "Bielik" by Prof. Mizera, a pair of adult breeding eagles at Schleswig-Holstein in Germany were known to have been together as adult birds for 28 consecutive years. Prof. Mizera states the eagles must have been at least 33 years old and possibly may even be as old as 36 years.
Sources: Message from Prof. Mizera on February 4th, 2011 to RaptorPolitics
Mizera, T. 1999. Bielik (White-tailed Sea eagle monography, in Polish)


The oldest Whited-tailed Eagles in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany:
32 (2), 33 (2), 34 und 36 years
Source: Struwe-Juhl, B. (2002): Altersstruktur und Reproduktion des Seeadlerbrutbestandes in Schleswig-Holstein. Corax 19, Sonderheft 1: 51-61.

Iceland
In January 2018 a local farmer rescued the at that time oldest living Icelandic Sea eagle. The 25-year-old bird was ringed in Breiðafjörður bay in 1993 and had not been seen since. Source: Iceland Magazine, 29 January 2018 http://icelandmag.visir.is/article/loca ... -reykjavik#

Norway
Until now (January 2011) the oldest white-tailed eagle was of Norwegian origin, 29 years and 10 months; this bird was found dead.
Sources: YLE.fi, January 26th 2011
http://yle.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/2011/01/m ... 18767.html
Looduskalender, 3 February 2011 (translation: Liis)


UK (Isle of Mull)
In 2009 the UK's oldest white-tailed eagles, both nearly 30, successful hatched out and raised two chicks on Mull.
Source: Wildelife Extra
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/ol ... 09.html#cr


See also: 9 November 2015 viewtopic.php?f=46&t=236&p=428175#p428175
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Post by maertha »

144.How long do White-tailed Eagles live? New record: 32 years, 6 month, March 2011

Update from Finland, March 3d 2011

This has been a winter of world records of oldest WTEs. A WTE who had been ringed on July 14th 1980 in Sodankylä Finnish Lappland (Northernmost Finland) by Seppo Saari was spotted in a feeding place in Umeå in Eastern Sweden on January 24th 2011 and the number code E-7152 in the rings was read. Its age was thus 30 years and 7 months (see above).

Now this record is history (for a while, because this was a living bird). It has turned out that a WTE found dead in January in Föglö island in Åland (the archipelago between Finland and Sweden in the Northern Baltic sea) was even older than the previous. The Zoological Museum of the University of Helsinki has studied the bird and found that it was ringed in 1978 on the East coast of Sweden. It was thus the most long-lived wild white-tailed sea eagle known so far: 32 and half years.

Source: The Finnish News Agency (STT) which got its information from Torsten Stjernberg who is the head of the WWF Finland's White-tailed Sea eagle working group.
It was printed in most of Finnish newspapers yesterday.

Thanks to ame who found, translated and posted this information


Edit, 2. November 2011:
The oldest Whited-tailed Eagles in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany: 32 (2x), 33 (2x), 34 und 36 years

Source: Struwe-Juhl, B. (2002): Altersstruktur und Reproduktion des Seeadlerbrutbestandes in Schleswig-Holstein. Corax 19, Sonderheft 1: 51-61.
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Post by maertha »

145.DNA seen as useful conservation tool

Source: upi.com, science news. Published: March. 7, 2011
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/03 ... z1FzUnAt3v

See also:
GENETIC ANALYSES OF NONINVASIVELY COLLECTED FEATHERS CAN PROVIDE NEW INSIGHTS INTO AVIAN DEMOGRAPHY AND BEHAVIOR
Jamie A. Rudnick, Todd E. Katzner and J. Andrew DeWoody
In: Handbook of Nature Conservation ISBN 978-1-60692-993-3, Editor: Jason B. Aronoff © 2009 Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Chapter 6. Online available
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Post by maertha »

146. Economic benefits delivered by white-tailed eagles on the Scottish island of Mull have more than tripled in five years

June 19, 2011. Source: Surfbirds.com http://www.surfbirds.com/sbirdsnews/arc ... d_eag.html
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Post by maertha »

147. A new batch of 16 young sea eagles have been set up in secret aviaries over the weekend as part of ongoing efforts to reintroduce them across Scotland

26 June 2011. Source: BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e ... e-13920832
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Post by maertha »

148.The occurrence and reestablishment of White-tailed Eagle and Golden Eagle as breeding birds in Denmark

By Erik Ehmsen, Lennart Pedersen, Hans Mel tofte, Tscherning Clausen & Timme Nyegaard

Accepted 3 April 2011

Authors’s address:
Project Eagle
Danish Ornithological Society / BirdLife Denmark (dof@dof.dk)
Vesterbrogade 138-140
DK-1620 Copenhagen V
Denmark

Pdf available at dof.dk (Dansk Ornitologisk Forening)
http://www.dof.dk/sider/index.php?optio ... Itemid=806

Link submitted by Urmas Sellis
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Post by maertha »

149.White-tailed Eagles Marked With Satellite Transmitters Successfully Flew From Their Nest Bulgaria, 2011

“This was the first time in Bulgaria that satellite transmitters have been placed on a white-tailed eagle. (…) In 1980, Bulgaria had only one pair of white-tailed eagles. Thanks to long-term conservation measures in Bulgaria and across the whole range of the species, the white-tailed eagles’ population has gradually recovered and now Bulgaria has 20 nesting pairs.”

For more information contact:
Emil Todorov
Biodiversity and Conservation Officer
BSPB / BirdLife Bulgaria
Tel: 0878 599 383
email: svishtov@bspb.org
http://www.bspb.org

Source: Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), 2011-07-11
http://bspb.org/show/1943-33

What is BSPB?
"The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) is the first in the recent time and the biggest non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to the biodiversity conservation. It is founded on 3 June 1988 and proved itself as a national-wide organisation. The only NGO in Bulgaria, which achieved stable conservation results in the regions of its action. BSPB is the Bulgarian Partner of BirdLife International." Read more:
http://bspb.org/category.php?chPage=1&menu_id=9
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Post by maertha »

150.Finland: 329 Chicks hatched in 2011

The number of WTE eaglets born in Finland in 2011 is 329, which is slightly more than last year (314) and almost as many as in the record year 2009 (349). The interviewed secretary of the working group, Ismo Nuuja, says that the reason for the improved breeding success is change of attitudes among people, who have begun to think that a WTE nest in the neighbourhood is an indication of the good quality of living environment.

Thus the WTEs have begun to nest closer to inhabited areas. The decrease of environmental toxins plays an important role, says Nuuja. The contamination of the environment by DDT and PCB-compounds has decreased since these substances have been banned. However, the eagles may still be exposed to lead poisoning, says Nuuja in the interview by YLE. Nuuja also points out that there are still numerous failures in breeding due to for example human interference and storm damages. On the whole the situation of the WTE is such that it may get out of the list of endangered species, concludes Nuuja his statement.

This news was by the Finnish broadcasting company YLE. Source: WTE working group of WWF Finland
Summary/translation by ame, WTE forum

WWF Finland on White-tailed Eagles, Google translation
http://translate.google.com/translate?j ... rikotka%2F
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Post by maertha »

151.Sea eagle success in North West Scotland, August 2011

"Conservationists have confirmed that on the Island of Canna in the Inner Hebrides, triplets have fledged – only the second time that this has been recorded in Scotland."

11/08/2011

Source: National Trust for Scotland Online
http://www.nts.org.uk/NewsStory/1485/

Link submitted by macdoum, WTE forum
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Post by maertha »

152.A new batch of 16 young sea eagles has been released in Fife as part of ongoing efforts to reintroduce them across Scotland, August 2011

12 August 2011. Source: BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e ... e-14505322 Link submitted by Jo, WTE forum

Video: Sea eagle chicks arrive safely in Scotland, June 2011
The fifth batch of sea eagle chicks arrived safely at Edinburgh airport as part of the reintroduction programme for Britain's largest and most spectacular bird of prey. Uploaded by scottishgovernment on Jun 27, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZgTNpg- ... embedded#!
Link submitted by Urmas
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Post by maertha »

153.Sea eagle attacks cleric defending his geese, Scotland, August 2011

"A senior clergyman has been mauled by a sea eagle as he tried to scare away the bird after it attacked and killed one of his prize-winning geese."
Source: BBC News 23 August 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-t ... l-14631018

Perthshire minister suffers cuts in bizarre sea eagle attack

By Paul Reoch , published in the Courier : 23.08.11
Source: TheCourier.co.uk
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Perths ... ttack.html
Link submitted by Urmas
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Post by maertha »

154.Eagles and small child claims 'alarmist' RSPB says, UK, September 2011
"The Scottish Gamekeepers Association has raised concerns about whether sea eagles could differentiate between children and their natural prey."

By Steven McKenzie, BBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter, 2 September 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-h ... s-14762183
Link submitted by Urmas

Sea eagles snatch babies? It’s nonsense, says RSPB. Some comments
“The row between conservationists and gamekeepers over Scotland’s birds of prey soared to new heights yesterday after the RSBP described as “nonsense” claims that the country’s biggest winged predator could attack young children.”

Source: heraldscotland.com, 3 Sep 2011. By David Ross, Highland Correspondent
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home ... led=false#
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Post by maertha »

155.Fife farm (Scotland) welcomes sea eagle's departure, September 2010

A white-tailed sea eagle that terrorised hundreds of chickens at a north-east Fife farm last month has left the area
By Craig McManamon. TheCourier.co.uk, 10.09.10
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Living/Outd ... rture.html
Link submitted by Jo
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