Conservation Status of Breeding Eagles in France

Abstract

Seven species of eagle breed in France: Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Lesser spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina), Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata), Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus), Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). Populations of all species have increased since the beginning of the 2000s and breeding pairs are estimated at 2500–3300 in 2012 (Short-toed Eagle), 585–810 in 2012 (Booted Eagle), 450–500 in 2012 (Golden Eagle), 80–90 in 2015 (Osprey), 33 in 2016 (Bonelli’s Eagle) and 1 each in 2018 (Lesser spotted Eagle and White-tailed Eagle). These two latter species became new breeding species in 2003 and 2011 respectively.

Keywords

• birds of prey
• conservation
• france