White Tailed Eagles, its your turn 🐦

From: BirdFood UK Sep-15-2024 11:21:am

Good Morning krazypromo,

It's that time of the week already, another edition of beak of the week!

This week, we are talking about our special white-tailed eagles. The eagles have a special place in our hearts this week as they've just laid their first egg!

White-tailed eagles or sea eagles as they're also known as, are the largest bird of prey in the UK. They have a wingspan of around 200-240cm and can grow as long as 90cm. Typically they have been known to congregate in western Scotland, but reintroduction in other areas have seen breeding pairs in the Isle of Wight and Ireland!

Want to know more? Good, read on!

Eagle Nest Watch >

Meet the Eagles!

Our white-tailed eagles are a fan favourite, many of you tune in daily to see what they're up to and how they're doing. Last week, one 'eagle-eyed' viewer noticed that an egg had been laid. This is not only fantastic news for the eagles, but for the population of white tailed eagles - where it is estimated only 150 breeding pairs exist in the UK, this species has seen a dramatic decline due to illegal hunting, road accidents and accidental poisoning from their meals (often carrion).

Tell me more!

White tailed eagles have very recognisable features, as you can suggest from their name they have white tail ends, fingered wingtips and beautiful brown plumage.

An opportunistic feeder, white tailed eagles will eat many things, but their diet primarily is fish and carrion - dead animals, which they rely heavily on in winter months.

White tailed eagles also do not migrate or leave when it gets cold, so you can see them all year round!

Zippy flyers: Due to their great size, white-tailed eagles have been known to fly at some amazing speeds! Typically the average speed of flight for a white-tailed eagle is around 43.5mph!

Balding brothers: White-tailed eagles and the bald eagle are very closely related, but bald eagles do have a much shorter wingspan and have larger bodies than the white tailed species.

The romantic kind: White-tailed eagles, like many birds of prey, mate for life. They also breed in the same territories year after year. The territory doesn't necessarily have to be a small nest, white tailed eagles have been known to have territory over 70sqkm wide! The territory may also be used for generations after too.