Which eagles can be found in the UK?
Where can you find eagles in the UK?
What eagle is native to the UK?
What do eagles eat in England?
When were eagles reintroduced to the UK?
Are there bald eagles in the UK?
Eagles are one of the largest and most fearsome birds of prey and one of the most iconic birds on Earth. Britain’s eagle was endangered in the 20th century, largely due to illegal hunting and habitat change due to extensive arable land and livestock farming.
Eagle numbers are on the rise again today, but what types of eagles can you see in the UK and where can you see them?
Which eagles can be found in the UK?
There are two species of eagle in Britain today, the golden eagle and the white-tailed eagle. Both are very large and impressive birds, often with wingspans in excess of 2 metres. In terms of size, the white-tailed eagle almost has the upper hand – it is the fourth largest eagle in the world.
Eagles remain elusive creatures in the UK, but sightings are becoming more common, not only in Scotland, North Wales, Northern Ireland and northern England, but also in southern England. This is partly thanks to conservation efforts such as the South Coast Eagle Project, which aims to reintroduce eagles across the UK.
While perhaps strange considering these gigantic birds were once ubiquitous across much of the country, it could become the norm again if numbers continue to increase at current rates.
Read on to learn more interesting facts about these elusive, powerful and fascinating birds of prey.
golden eagle
Golden Eagle
golden eagle in flight
Golden eagle close-up – JoanneJean / Shutterstock.com
length:
75cm to 88cm
span:
204cm to 220cm
weight:
2.8 kg to 6.6 kg
male phone
Tero Linjama, XC341722. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/341722.
Learn more about Golden Eagle
The golden eagle is one of the most widely distributed eagles. They have a vast territory of about 50 to 60 square miles. These mighty birds are top predators with large, sharp claws. Their vision is four to five times that of the human eye, and they can swoop down on their prey at speeds of 120 to 150 miles per hour. Golden eagles are monogamous and often mate for many years, if not lifelong.
white tailed eagle
white halibut
length:
70cm to 90cm
span:
200cm to 240cm
weight:
3.5 kg to 5.5 kg
Learn more about white-tailed eagles
The white-tailed vulture is a huge bird with a wingspan of up to 2.4 meters. Their wings are wider than golden eagles, and they can be identified by their striking white tail feathers. White-tailed vultures are excellent hunters, preying on mammals and fish. For this reason, they are sometimes called sea eagles. Like golden eagles, white-tailed eagles have large, often coastal territories, are monogamous, and tend to mate for life.
Where can you find eagles in the UK?
British eagles are found mainly in the Scottish Highlands and throughout the Scottish Isles, especially the Inner and Outer Hebrides, but are also becoming more common in Northern Ireland.
Where can you find a golden eagle in the UK?
The ancestral homeland of golden eagles in the UK is the Scottish Highlands, which is still where they usually live. In the highlands of central and western Scotland, golden eagles can be seen all year round. A pair of golden eagles nested in the Lake District in the 1960s, but golden eagles are still rare in England.
The reintroduction program has been successful in Northern Ireland, and there are plans to reintroduce golden eagles to Snowdonia in Wales.
Golden eagle in the heather, in the moors, Scotland, UK
Where can you find white-tailed vultures in the UK?
Although fewer white-tailed eagles breed than golden eagles in the UK, they have a wider range. White-tailed vultures have been successfully reintroduced to the Isle of Wight and will be reintroduced in Norfolk.
They are becoming more common across much of England as they fly farther than golden eagles, usually for roosting. White-tailed eagles are most commonly found on the west coast of Scotland and the Scottish Isles. In Northern Ireland, the white-tailed vulture can be found throughout the North Coast and the Antrim countryside.
White-tailed eagle flying over the Isle of Mull, Scotland
eagles in england
White-tailed hawks are increasingly common on the Isle of Wight and the south coast of England. Golden eagles are rarely seen over the Lake District. Golden eagles may be seen, but are rare in northern England.
welsh eagles
Golden eagles have been spotted in north Wales and there are plans to reintroduce them to Snowdonia. There are currently no known white-tailed vultures breeding in Wales.
scotland eagles
Scotland has the largest share of white-tailed and golden eagles in the UK. Golden eagles are often seen in the highlands of central and western Scotland, while white-tailed eagles are often found on Scotland’s west coast. Both golden and white-tailed eagles inhabit the Scottish Isles.
eagles of northern ireland
There are some white-tailed eagles on the northern coast of Northern Ireland. Golden eagles frequently visit the coastline of Northern Ireland. There are plans to increase the number of golden-tailed and white-tailed hawks in Northern Ireland.
What eagle is native to the UK?
Both the white-tailed eagle and the golden eagle are native to Britain, but persecution throughout the 19th century resulted in the extinction of the white-tailed eagle and near extinction of the golden eagle.
The last British-bred white-tailed eagle was shot in the Shetland Islands in 1918. Only a small number of golden eagles remain in Scotland and have been closely guarded ever since.
soaring golden eagle
What do eagles eat in England?
Both golden and white-tailed eagles are carnivorous birds of prey (birds of prey). The golden eagle’s primary diet is birds and mammals, both live and carrion. White-tailed sea eagles are excellent sea hunters – hence their name.
Because of their excellent eyesight and fast swooping speed, eagles easily catch fast-moving mammals such as rabbits and even small deer. White-tailed eagles have even been known to hunt otters. Eagles rarely attack livestock.
When were eagles reintroduced to the UK?
The white-tailed vulture was first reintroduced on the Isle of Rum, Scotland in 1975, and then on Westeros in the Scottish Highlands from 1993 to 1998. In 2019, 6 juvenile breeding pairs were released on the Isle of Wight. There are plans to release bald eagles in Norfolk.
Are there bald eagles in the UK?
Bald eagles are sometimes confused with white-tailed eagles, but do not currently live in the UK and there are no known sightings. Eagles rarely stray too far from their territory.
Expert Q&A
ask a question
Do you have a question on this topic that we haven’t answered yet? Submit below and one of our experts will reply as soon as possible.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
