Broedende Zeearenden Haliaeetus albicilla in Nederland in 2023

Rijn S. van, van den Berg A., de Boer P., Dekker J., Deuzeman S., Kleefstra R. & van Straalen D. 2024. Breeding White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla in The Netherlands in 2023. De Takkeling 32: 68-72. In 2023 36 pairs of White-tailed Eagles occupied a territory with nest in The Netherlands (compared to 30 nests in 2022, and 22 nests in 2021). The majority of pairs settled in/near wetlands in the northern Netherlands (12 pairs) and central Netherlands (district Flevoland, 12 pairs). At least 32 pairs commenced egg-laying. Twenty-six pairs were successful, raising a total of 44 fledglings, of which 24 were colour-ringed. A pair in the western part of lake Zwarte Meer built a nest at a height of 40 m in a highvoltage pylon on which breeding was successful. As far as known, this is the first case of breeding White-tailed Eagles in a high-voltage pylon in Europe. Between 2006 (first breeding case) and 2023, a total of 186 young have fledged, which to a large extent were responsible for the subsequent increase in number of breeding pairs in The Netherlands (as evident from colour-ringed individuals and tracking via senders).