Popular white-tailed eagle chick dies of natural causes

A white-tailed sea eagle chick that became a tourist attraction over the past month in Glengarriff, West Cork, has died of natural causes.

The 10-week-old eaglet was the oldest of five hatched nationally this year, described by the project team as a significant breakthrough in the programme to reintroduce sea eagles to Ireland after an absence of more than a century.

It had a large amount of food in its crop — the swollen part of a bird’s gullet where food is stored and prepared for digestion.

“The food was not being absorbed into its stomach and it probably choked eventually,” said project manager Allan Mee.

“Both parents had been bringing it lots of food and the nest was full of food. But there was a blockage and food was not being allowed into its stomach.

“This is sad but at least the chick wasn’t poisoned and we always lose a few through natural causes. This chick could also have underlying health issues.”

The project team discovered its food was mainly dogfish, with some thornback ray and even a crow’s tail.

Samples have been sent for laboratory analysis.

Last year, a two-week-old chick died in Glengarriff due to bad weather. The eagles are a big attraction in Glengarriff where they are easily observed, with local boatmen pointing them out to visitors, Dr Mee said.

The four remaining chicks — in Mountshannon, Co Clare, near Portumna in Co Galway, Killarney National Park, and the Beara Peninsula in West Cork — are all reported to be doing well.

The hope is that the five pairs that successfully hatched this year will raise chicks to form the basis of a viable population in Ireland.

The reintroduction project began in 2007 and, over five years, 100 young Norwegian eagles were released in Killarney National Park. However, 29 of the eagles have died, mainly from poisoning.

The breeding population, however, has increased from one pair in 2012 to around 14 pairs at present.

The eagles, also a big attraction in Mountshannon, are viewed as having the potential to enhance rural economies through wildlife tourism, as is happening in countries such as Scotland and Norway.