Pheasant shooting shown to aid recovery of Danish eagles

An eagle recovery programme in Denmark has found that the practice of releasing pheasants for shooting has played a pivotal role in the breeding success of golden eagles.
Bird of prey researcher and author, Jan Tøttrup Nielsen, has for a number of years conducted investigations for ‘Project Ørn’ - meaning ‘eagle’ - into the food of the golden eagle by checking prey and food remains in and around the nests of golden eagles and at their primary feeding grounds.
His findings from the Hals Nørreskov national park in Northern Denmark have shown that pheasants make up at least 70% of the golden eagles’ diets. Recordings from wildlife cameras have corroborated this data.
2024 has been the best breeding year for Danish golden eagle pairs since the beginning of their recovery. This year eight territories have been confirmed as occupied, six of which are inhabited by established breeding pairs which have successfully fledged a total of seven young.
For around a century, golden eagles were functionally regionally extinct in Denmark, however, they began breeding again in 1998 and the population continues to slowly increase. Since 1998 a total of 68 young eagles have fledged in Denmark.
Morten Truelsen, chairman of the Danske Herregårdsjægere, a Danish hunting association, said: “We see birds of prey as part of the ecosystem, and more birds of prey on the terrain is a sign of a healthy ecosystem, which we would like to pass on to the next generation. Just like in the other parts of society, our view of nature has developed, and we are constantly working to integrate the operation of hunting animals with the conservation of birds of prey.”
“We strive to find solutions that create a balance between the activities of our hunters and the natural behaviour of the golden eagle.”