looduskalender.ee

 

 

We can see white-tailed  eagles of different ages via the webcam almost daily. Actually the white-tailed eagle  came to check whether the hooded crows might have discovered something edible.

 

There is also reason to talk about the recent confirmation from the Ministry of Environment of its regulation on protection of 22 white-tailed eagle permanent habitats and the protection arrangements. These white-tailed eagle  habitats are in Hiiu, Harju, Jõgeva, Lääne, Pärnu, Saare, Tartu and Võru counties.

 

The number of white-tailed eagles in Estonia started to recover only in the second half of the 1970s. At present the number of white-tailed eagle  pairs nesting in Estonia is approaching 250, but as late as in the end of the 1960s there were years with no successful nestings reported.

 

The proposal to protect white-tailed eagle  nesting locations was made by Kotkaklubi (The Eagle Club), the organisation collecting Estonian experts on birds of prey. A white-tailed eagle  permanent habitat means a protective zone around the nest tree where human activities are restricted during the nesting period of the white-tailed eagles. Between February 15th and July 31st human presence in the area surrounding the nest is only allowed in exceptional cases such as surveillance and rescue operations, and the Keskkonnaamet (Environmental Board) may grant permission to carry out research and maintenance work in the habitat..
 
From August 1st to February 14th the presence, hunting, fishing, mushroom and berry picking is allowed in the habitats. Moving on roads and paths crossing a permanent habitat for passage is allowed during the whole period.
 
In the zones with restricted access, created mainly to ensure privacy during the nesting period, economic activities are allowed but only on conditions stated in the protection measures. The restrictions in the permanent habitats are neccessary for ensuring an undisturbed nesting of the WTEs.

 

The long-term protection plan confirmed by the Ministry of the Environment is designed to enable the recovery of the number of white-tailed eagles in Estonia and the survival of the species in Estonia as a population of at least 300 pairs.