White-Tailed Sea Eagles Find Forever Home in the New Forest

Two white-tailed sea eagles have made the New Forest Wildlife Park in Hampshire their new home, as part of conservation efforts to protect the endangered species. The pair, a three-year-old male and a four-year-old female, are siblings bred in captivity and arrived at the park on May 7. The birds are now settling into their custom-designed aviary, which has been built larger than the species-specific requirement to allow them plenty of room to stretch their wings.

Key Takeaways:

• The white-tailed sea eagles are Britain's largest bird of prey, with a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters and weighing between 4.3 and 5.5 kilograms.
• The species has an amber status under the Birds of Conservation Concern classification, requiring "ongoing conservation attention".
• The custom-designed aviary at the New Forest Wildlife Park has been built to provide ample space for the birds to fly, perch, and shelter from the elements.
• The aviary's design allows the birds to sunbathe in the sun, shelter from wind or rain, and even sit out in light rain.
• The New Forest Wildlife Park has taken steps to protect the birds' privacy, initialy closing the entire end of Wallaby Wood and wrapping their enclosure in protective green netting.
• The park has gradually opened up more of the area, allowing visitors to walk the path and observe the magnificent sea eagles.

Statistics:

• The white-tailed sea eagles have a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters (Source: Unknown).
• The birds weigh between 4.3 and 5.5 kilograms (Source: Unknown).
• The New Forest Wildlife Park's custom-designed aviary is larger than the species-specific requirement (Source: Unknown).
• The park has invested in building a safe and suitable environment for the introduction of the white-tailed sea eagles (Source: New Forest Wildlife Park).

Sources:

• New Forest Wildlife Park
• Unknown