After more than 150 years, golden eagles could soon return to England, with a study expected to confirm there are enough suitable habitats to support the reintroduction of the UK’s most iconic bird of prey.
Golden eagles, with wingspans of over two metres, are occasionally spotted in places such as Northumberland, though these sightings are of birds from the expanding population in southern Scotland. A recent reintroduction project there is expected to serve as a model for any English scheme.
Persecution by gamekeepers and farmers meant the species effectively disappeared from England around 150 years ago. The last known resident golden eagle, a solitary bird living on a reserve in the Lake District, vanished in 2015.
Following the recent decision to allow the legal release of beavers in England – including a pair released in Dorset in March – the environment secretary, Steve Reed, is now overseeing plans that could see golden eagles brought back.
Forestry England has carried out a feasibility study into the potential reintroduction. Although the report is not due to be published for several months, it is understood to conclude that there is sufficient capacity to sustain a population.
Reintroducing extinct species is a complex undertaking, requiring adherence to international guidelines set by the France-based International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and licensing by Natural England, the government’s conservation authority.
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project provides the most recent example. While the Western Isles, Hebrides and northern mainland support up to 600 breeding pairs, the south of Scotland once had only a handful. Since the official programme began in 2018, numbers there have risen from just three or four pairs to over 50 – the highest in more than three centuries.
Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species and land management at the RSPB, said an English project would probably follow the same approach, with efforts focused on the north of England.
In the Scottish scheme, chicks were taken from broods of two at around six to eight weeks old, then hand-reared with minimal human contact before being released at carefully selected sites. Food was provided until the young birds were able to hunt independently.
This method, also used successfully with red kites and sea eagles, has delivered high survival rates in southern Scotland, Orr-Ewing noted.
While the availability of prey and suitable nesting sites is a prerequisite, experts believe this would not pose a significant challenge in northern England.
Orr-Ewing said: “The main prey of golden eagles are things like grouse, rabbits, hares. But they can also take other things like deer calves, we’ve seen badgers, fox cubs, all of these sort of things. And you’ve got grouse moor estates. So I don’t think prey availability is going to be a problem.”
Defra has said that any English reintroduction programme would also prioritise public engagement and assess the impact on other wildlife and the wider environment.
A Defra spokesperson said: “The recovery of golden eagles offers hope for the future of the species in Britain. Any next steps of their reintroduction in England will be set out in due course.”
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