White-tailed Eagle

The White-tailed Eagle is the fourth largest eagle in the world, 27 to 36 inches in length with a 72 to 96 inches wingspan. Females are slightly larger than males. It has broad "barn door" wings, a large head and a thick "meat-cleaver" beak. The adult is mainly brown except for the paler head and neck, blackish flight feathers, distinctive white tail, and yellow bill and legs. In juvenile birds the tail and bill are darker, with the tail becoming white with a dark terminal band in sub-adults Some individuals have been found to live over 25 years although 21 years is the average.

The White-tailed Eagle breeds in northern Europe and northern Asia with the largest population in Europe along the coast of Norway. The World population in 2008 was estimated at only 9,000 to 11,000 pairs. They are mostly resident with only the northernmost birds such as the eastern Scandinavian and Siberian population migrating south in winter.

In the UK, the White-tailed Eagle became extinct during the early 20th century and the present population in Scotland has arisen from a reintroduction programme which commenced on the island of Rhum in 1975. It is still a rare breeding bird which was previously confined to the west coast of Scotland although a reintroduction programme has taken place in east Scotland.

Date: 3rd July 2019

Location: near Komagvær, Varangerhalvøya National Park, Varanger peninsula, Troms og Finnmark, Norway