*The Eagles have landed! Eamon Meskell (centre), Regional Manager National Parks and Wildlife Service and Alan Mee, White Tailed Eagle Project, at Kerry Airport. Photograph: Valerie O’Sullivan

East Clare has welcomed its newest residents with a group of white-tailed eagles arriving earlier this week.

A specially chartered flight brought the ten young birds from Norway to Kerry Airport on Friday, a journey of four hours and twenty minutes which was conducted to bolster the existing population of white-tailed eagles in Munster.

Phase two of the project to strength the small breeding population was orchestrated by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The release aims to build on the successful re-establishment of this once extinct species over a three-year period by releasing young eagles at three sites, including Lough Derg, the lower Shannon estuary and Killarney National Park.

Previously, 100 young White-tailed Eagles were released in Killarney National Park in County Kerry between 2007 and 2011. Birds from these releases subsequently dispersed widely throughout Ireland with first breeding in 2012 on Lough Derg in Clare in what was the first breeding in the wild in over 100 years.

In 2013, the first wild-bred chicks fledged successfully from a nest in County Clare. To date, 26 chicks have fledged from nests in Kerry, Cork, Clare and Galway with an additional six chicks anticipated to fledge from nests in Kerry, Cork and Tipperary in July 2020.

Some Irish-bred eagles are now reaching maturity and starting to breed in the wild. However, a scientific review of the reintroduction project indicated the small population is still vulnerable to mortality factors such as illegal poisoning and the breeding population was negatively impacted by Avian Influenza in 2018 and storm Hannah in 2019. Thus it was decided to carry out this supplementary release to bolster the existing population.

As well as bringing biodiversity and ecosystem benefits, restoring this flagship species can deliver potential economic benefits, experts have advised. The re-establishment of breeding white-tailed eagles at sites like Lough Derg has proven popular with local residents.

Mountshannon experienced the positive economic benefits of ecotourism was experienced in when the first breeding pair nested within sight of the village in 2012, attracting thousands of visitors over subsequent years.

Related News

delta airlines
Delta announce return of Shannon to New York service
joe cooney patricia mcnamara gerry kavanagh-2
Clare community comes together for Make Way Day
joe cooney sixmilebridge lios anama meeting 14-08-23 5
'We're sick of hearing a couple of weeks' - Cooney hits out at ongoing delay for Broadford wastewater scheme
clare v limerick 29-04-23 john conlon david mcinerney gearoid hegarty 1
'Call a halt to this craic' - Clare Cllrs urge Govt to review GAAGO in discussions with RTÉ
Latest News
classroom
West Clare man in court over sending letters alleging male teaching colleague viewed inappropriate content on phone while in classroom
delta airlines
Delta announce return of Shannon to New York service
joe cooney patricia mcnamara gerry kavanagh-2
Clare community comes together for Make Way Day
joe cooney sixmilebridge lios anama meeting 14-08-23 5
'We're sick of hearing a couple of weeks' - Cooney hits out at ongoing delay for Broadford wastewater scheme
iceland shannon town centre 1
Iceland's Shannon workers owed wages, annual leave & sick leave
Premium
clare v limerick 29-04-23 john conlon david mcinerney gearoid hegarty 1
'Call a halt to this craic' - Clare Cllrs urge Govt to review GAAGO in discussions with RTÉ
sixmilebridge barrier train station 1
Car park of Sixmilebridge station to remain shut for three more weeks
elias kunz 1
Three from three for Avenue
save ennis town big dig 1-2
Big dig' in Abbey Street is 'shovels in the ground without consultation' & 'waste of money'
kilmihil v west clare gaels ladies football 07-08-22 18
Way is clear for ladies football semi-finals

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Scroll to Top
Enable Notifications for the latest news and updates OK No thanks