A pair of white-tailed eagles has successfully hatched chicks in the Oostvaardersplassen. The white-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Europe with a wingspan up to 2.5 meters. Until recently it was thought that the eagle would never breed in the Netherlands again. The closest known breeding pair, prior to the the Oostvaardersplassen birds, breed in Sleeswijk-Holstein, in the north of Germany.
Ten years ago the WWF tried to introduce the eagle back into the Netherlands. The plan faced much criticism and never materialized. The birds in the Oostvaardersplassen have come to the Netherlands of their own volition.
According to forest rangers, who are responsible for the area, the birds have a nest in a willow tree, approximately six meters from the ground. The pair began building the nest in January, and began sitting on eggs in March. The exact number of living chicks is not known. The nest is the first for the female, who was ringed in 2002. The male is an older bird and has already had successful nests.
Source: Zeearend broedt in Nederland
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