ARCHIVED - Efforts to support the Spanish imperial eagle breed results in Andalucía

123 nesting pairs as the eagles benefit from regional government repopulation program

Efforts by the regional government of Andalucía to boost the population of the Spanish imperial eagle appear to be meeting with great success, with a new record being set in terms of the known population of the bird last year as a total of 123 known mating pairs was reached.

The nature of the bird makes it impossible to be absolutely certain of the figures, but government officials are confident in asserting that the region of Andalucía now accounts for over 20 per cent of the entire population in the whole of the Iberian Peninsula. Last year a further ten nesting pairs established territories in the region, and the 6 per cent increase recorded over the 2019 figure means that for six years in a row the total has been above the threshold established by the EU as indicating a favourable conservation outlook.

In the latest annual report published by the Junta, the breakdown of the total shows that 50 pairs are known to inhabit the province of Jaén, while the others are located in Córdoba (32), Sevilla (27), Huelva (6), Cádiz (5) and Granada (3), and the rises in all areas indicate that the population is becoming stronger and more ecologically viable as the years pass. Particularly good progress is noted in the Sierras Béticas of Jaén in the east of Andalucía and the Sierra Morena in the west, and five of the ten new nesting pairs are reported in the province of Sevilla.

Unfortunately, the episodes of heavy rain in the late winter and early spring of 2020 led to many nests collapsing, but at the same time the reduction in human activity during coronavirus confinement periods led to mating pairs being disturbed less. The same confinements led to observation by conservation officials being limited at times, but nonetheless they were able to confirm the hatching of 138 chicks during the year, with 122 surviving to make their first flights. This is the second highest figure on record, behind the 130 in 2019, although it is also known that 13 chicks died.

Despite their actions having been limited by the pandemic restrictions, park rangers were proactive during last year in providing extra food for the eagles in five areas of the Natural Park of Doñana, in repairing nesting platforms, in carrying out emergency rescues to save five chicks and care for them before subsequently re-releasing them into the wild, in chipping 13 chicks with GPS transmitters and in releasing 3,350 partridges into the wild in Sierra Morena and Granada in order to ensure the population of prey in specific areas.