Since 2007, 200 Norwegian sea eagle chicks have found a new home in Ireland. This summer the final release of fledglings in Ireland marks the completion of the establishment phase of the white-tailed sea eagle project.
White-tailed sea eagles are being released into the wild in Killarney National Park. Photo: Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dublin
Like many other predators and birds of prey, the sea eagle has historically been seen as a competitor for wild and fish resources and a threat to livestock, leading to intense persecution. As a result, the sea eagle disappeared from much of its natural range in Europe.
The sea eagle was once threatened in Norway as well. But since its protection in 1968, the population has increased greatly, and we now hold the largest breeding population in Europe. Norway is therefore in a unique position to help re-establish extinct sea eagle populations elsewhere. And the sea eagle project in Ireland is a shining example that it is possible.
Returns after a century
A century after the last sea eagle disappeared the Irish authorities initiated an ambitious reintroduction project aimed at bringing the sea eagle back. The project was carried out in two phases, in collaboration with NINA and BirdLife Norway.
In the first phase of the project, from 2007-2011, 100 birds were released in Ireland. They soon adapted to their new environment and managed surprisingly well, but were too few to secure the population against possible shocks like the worldwide bird flu pandemic, which killed two of the first breeding adults in Ireland and a number of immature birds.
"A small population is more vulnerable to unforeseen events, and with so few individuals, it is also more difficult to find a mate and form stable pairs," Duncan Halley explains.
From 2019-24 an additional 100 birds were sent from Norway to Ireland, and then things really took flight.
Read more about the project: Norwegian sea eagle success in Ireland
Triplets are a rarity among sea eagles, but somewhat more common in Ireland, as seen in this nest. Photo: Damien Clarke.
The development of the Irish population has progressed well following the bird flu pandemic, and the first Irish-born sea eagle bred already in 2020 – a young female that had paired up with an older male that came from Frøya in 2007. The following year, the first of several triplets were also born.
"Triplets are a rarity among sea eagles, and it is also unusual that they breed at such a young age as we have seen in Ireland. This shows how favorable the conditions are there," says Halley.
Today, 15 territorial pairs are established in Ireland, spread over a wide area. In 2024 two 4 year olds, a male from Flatanger and a female from Frøya, bred successfully in Ireland, at a younger age than in normal for the species; another indication of the favorable conditions for the developing population. More pairs are forming as the new birds mature. And they continue to expand in both numbers and in range.
The last flight
The project has been an unqualified success, and this summer the last group of fledgling Norwegian sea eagles will be sent to Ireland.
"Thanks to the excellent cooperation between Irish and Norwegian authorities, and the irreplaceable efforts of many local volunteers in both countries, we have now achieved our goal: an independently viable and growing sea eagle population in Ireland! Although our Irish friends will continue to monitor progress, the Irish sea eagles are now soaring on their own wings and should over time increase in numbers to reoccupy the coasts and freshwaters of the whole island," says Halley.
In Oslo to discuss the white-tailed eagle project, future collaboration, and nature restoration. From left: Claire Thompson, Claire Buckley (Ambassador of Ireland to Norway), Christopher O’Sullivan (Irish minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity) and Duncan Halley (senior research scientist at NINA). Photo: Camilla Næss/NINA
Ospreys next
But the collaboration doesn’t stop there. A new restoration project aims to reintroduce the osprey to the southern part of the island, where it was eradicated 200 years ago. The first nine ospreys were reintroduced in 2023, and more are planned to follow in the coming years.
Cooperation is key; Christopher O’Sullivan, Irish minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, and Duncan Halley, senior research scientist at NINA, are equally enthusiastic about the White-taled sea eagle reintroduction programme.
Contact: Duncan Halley
Read more about the project: Restoring populations of white-tailed sea eagles in Europe