How white-tailed eagles could be reintroduced to England

How white-tailed eagles could be reintroduced to England to reduce pests including geese and rabbits

  • White-tailed eagles could be reintroduced to reduce geese and rabbit numbers
  • Between six and 12 of the birds would be released in England each year
  • The white-tailed eagles went extinct in Britain a century ago

White-tailed eagles could be reintroduced to England as a way of reducing pests including geese and rabbits.

Between six and 12 of the birds, which went extinct in Britain a century ago, would be released each year in an effort to ‘maintain balanced ecosystems’ at a location in Norfolk.

Wild Ken Hill farm and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation say the first eagles – known as ‘flying barn doors’ because of their 8ft wingspans – could appear later this year. 

It follows similar projects in Europe which helped control species further down the food chain.

White-tailed eagles could be reintroduced to England as a way of reducing pests including geese and rabbits (stock image)

White-tailed or sea eagles became extinct in Britain because of hunting and habitat destruction, but were reintroduced in Scotland in the 1960s. 

In Norfolk they would be expected to prey on greylag and Canada goose goslings. 

Canada geese are considered pests and can be culled with a licence from Natural England.

Dominic Buscall of Wild Ken Hill said: ‘The role that the white-tailed eagle plays in controlling meso-predators such as buzzards, as well as cormorants and feral geese, could well have knock-on benefits in the ecosystem.’

Between six and 12 of the birds, which went extinct in Britain a century ago, would be released each year in an effort to ‘maintain balanced ecosystems’ at a location in Norfolk (file image of white-tailed eagle)

Between six and 12 of the birds, which went extinct in Britain a century ago, would be released each year in an effort to ‘maintain balanced ecosystems’ at a location in Norfolk (file image of white-tailed eagle)