White-tailed Eagle Chicks Growing on New Nest

Mr. Aoki, Chief advisor of the JICA Expert Team and Mr. Watanabe, Expert of Wetland Ecosystem Conservation of JET observed two chicks of White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) on the new nest by using drone in Ghalamgudeh on 28th April and 5th Mar 2016.

The White-tailed Eagle is a very large bird, which has 74–92cm length and 193–244cm wingspan. The parents of the eagle made big nest by sticks and branches on the top of the tall tree in Ghalamgudeh several years ago. Recently the eagle breeds by using same nest every year. However the nest was broken because of heavy snow in the last winter. The parent of eagle made a new nest on the south of old nest to recover their breeding. The chicks need to fledge at eleven to twelve weeks. Based on chick’s aspect, breeding stage is about one month later than usual. We hope the chicks would grow up and leave the nest without trouble.

White-tailed Eagle is one of umbrella species of wetland ecosystem because the eagle preys mainly on many fish in the wetland. We need to conserve the White-tailed Eagle as a symbol and indicator species of the Anzali Wetland Ecosystem.

In addition, the Ghalamgudeh Island is only area with high trees in/around the Anzali Wetland therefore many water bird species such as Squacco Heron, Night Heron and Cattle Egret are breeding on the trees there. This island should be conserved because this island is one of important component of the Anzali Wetland ecosystem.