A pair of white-tailed eagles have started to build a nest at the De Blankaart nature reserve, near Diksmuide in West Flanders. This means that there is a chance that the birds might soon breed, which would be the first time in centuries that white-tailed eagles would have bred here in Belgium.
The two large sea eagles settled at the nature reserve near Diksmuide (West Flanders) last spring. The two birds had been expected to leave after a few days. However, they began to build a nest in a willow tree, evicting the previous residents, a pair of buzzards.
It still remains to be seen whether the couple will breed. If they were to do so and little eagles were to hatch next spring it would the first time in centuries that white-tailed eagles would have been born in Belgium.
These white-tailed eagles probably came to West Flanders from across the border in The Netherlands, where the species has been breeding since 2006. There thirty-six pairs have already been recorded there this year. The birds of prey have been called Betty and Paul.
The Flemish nature protection organisation Natuurpunt calls on passers-by to avoid disturbing the birds of prey as much as possible.
The white-tailed eagle is one of the largest European birds of prey, with a wingspan of up to two and a half meters. It feeds mainly on geese and coots, as well as occasionally muskrats or herons. This kind of prey can be found in abundance at the De Blankaart Nature Reserve.