Iconic White-Tailed Eagle Found Dead in Clare

An investigation is underway after the death of one of Ireland’s oldest breeding white-tailed eagles, discovered in County Clare last Saturday.

Early post-mortem results suggest the eagle, known as Caimin (Y), may have died from poisoning.

Caimin, who had held territory at Mountshannon on Lough Derg for 17 years, was among the first chicks released under the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme in 2008. Born in Norway and released from Killarney National Park, he played a vital role in re-establishing the once-extinct species in Ireland.

The bird was fitted with a satellite tag that enabled tracking throughout his life. In 2013, he and Saoirshe, another reintroduced eagle, became the first pair to successfully raise chicks in the Irish wild in over a century.

After Saoirshe died from Avian Influenza in 2016, Caimin remained in the territory and successfully bred again in 2023 with a new mate, Bernardine (B). Despite his death, Bernardine is currently raising a chick at the same Mountshannon nest site.

The eagle’s suspected poisoning has sparked outrage and concern among conservationists and government officials.

“This tragic loss of a wonderfully aged bird, breeding happily in the wild, is deeply regrettable,” said Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD. “Any loss not due to natural causes is typically the result of human activity.”

O’Sullivan stressed the importance of the reintroduction programme and its role in protecting biodiversity: “These birds are not just majestic symbols of our natural heritage—they are key indicators of the health of our ecosystems. I’ve instructed the NPWS to leave no stone unturned in investigating what may be a heinous crime.”

NPWS Divisional Manager Eamonn Meskell echoed the sentiment: “The knowing destruction of this bird of prey displays a wanton disregard for nature protection. These noble birds are beloved by the public and every loss is felt deeply, especially by the staff who have nurtured them from chicks to breeding adults.”

Persecution remains the main threat to the species in Ireland, primarily through illegal poisoning and shooting. Nearly 50% of known eagle deaths have been linked to poison. Other causes include wind turbine strikes, lead poisoning, and disease such as Avian Influenza.

The public is urged to assist in the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact their local Garda station or NPWS office.

Species at Risk

Once widespread across Ireland, the white-tailed eagle is now one of the country’s rarest birds and is listed as a species of conservation concern. Adults are easily recognisable by their broad wings with fingered tips, pale head and neck, short white wedge-shaped tail, and piercing golden eyes. Juveniles are darker and do not reach full adult plumage until four to five years old.

These birds primarily feed on fish but will also hunt birds, rabbits, and hares, as well as scavenge carrion—especially in winter. They lay 1–3 eggs in late March or early April, which hatch after about 40 days. Chicks fledge in 10–12 weeks but remain dependent on their parents for another month or more.

Reintroduction Programme

The NPWS-led Irish White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme is a long-term effort to restore a self-sustaining population in Ireland. Since its inception, 200 young eagles have been brought from Norway and released in two phases.

The programme has seen growing success in recent years, with multiple breeding pairs now established. However, the continued threat of persecution underscores the fragility of that success.