Exceptionally rare largest bird of prey in Europe, a White Tailed Eagle, spotted in Yorkshire Dales

A rare visitor to this part of the world it is thought that the bird won’t remain here for long but will be quite the spectacle for anyone that manages to catch a glimpse of it.

The White Tailed eagle is of the UK’s rarest birds of prey, as well as Europe, and also the largest.

There are only an estimated 150 pairs of white tailed eagles, also known as sea eagles, in the UK. The birds were classed as extinct in England by 1800 and were also exceptionally rare in much of western Europe.

Since 1975 various reintroduction programmes have resulted in a good recovery in Scotland, parts of England and abroad. Population trendlines suggest there may be as many as 200 breeding pairs of white tailed eagles in the UK by 2025.

The largest bird of prey in Europe, its wingspan can reach 240cm and adult females can weigh up to seven kilograms. Some bird-watchers nickname them ‘flying barn doors’.

Darren Chadwick, coordinator of the Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group, said: “One of our gamekeepers was delighted and somewhat mesmerised to see this rare visitor and enjoyed watching its majestic flight for a good while before it drifted off into the distance.

"It is unlikely to stay in the vicinity for very long but whilst it graces our moorland skies it will be a special treat for those who are fortunate enough to spot it.

"This is an exceptionally impressive bird and one of the many species of birds of prey that are resurgent now in the UK – it’s a real delight to see it in this area.”

The British Trust for Ornithology reports that, of the UK’s 21 bird of prey species, only three remain ‘red-listed’, meaning of conservation concern.

Across the UK, the number of birds of prey has risen significantly in recent decades. There are an estimated 225,000 adult pairs of birds of prey nationally, with around 87,000 pairs of buzzard,50,000 pairs of tawny owl, 31,000 pairs of kestrel and 30,000 pairs of sparrowhawk.

The north of England is particularly noted for its resurgent hen harrier population, with 119 chicks fledging in 2022, the highest number for a century. Of these, 75 per cent of nests are on grouse moors.

Last year four white-tailed ‘sea’ eagles reintroduced to England as part of a breeding programme were recorded in the Yorkshire Dales.

Two juvenile birds - a male and a female, although they are not a breeding pair - flew north from the Isle of Wight reintroduction programme and settled in the North York Moors National Park last April, where they enjoyed feasting on rabbits. They lived independently of each other but did interact.

The female was tracked to have flown 55 miles around Yorkshire in just one day.

Another female was the most intrepid and last August came to Yorkshire at an altitude of 1,200 metres over Thirsk and within a few days has flown to Scunthorpe.