1st white-tailed eagle born in southeastern Ireland in 150 years

The first white-tailed eagle was born in southeastern Ireland in 150 years, Irish broadcaster RTE reported Thursday.

The first white-tailed eagle's birth in over 150 years has been confirmed in Waterford, thanks to the National Parks and Wildlife Service's (NPWS) White-Tailed Eagle Reintroduction Program.

Since 2007, the program has aimed to restore the white-tailed eagle to Ireland, a species once widespread but driven to extinction over a century ago by human activity.

Project Manager Eamonn Meskell said the last white-tailed eagle in Waterford was seen around 1870, calling its birth "hugely significant" since its parents moved there naturally rather than being introduced.

"Generally, the eagles' migration has been north and west. So to see a pair migrate to Waterford proves that the project is working," Meskell told RTE.

As part of the original NPWS team that went to Norway to bring the first ones to Ireland as part of the program, Meskell noted that there are currently around 75 white-tailed eagles in the wild.

He noted that the number of birds is still small, but they are self-sufficient, and the team believes the project is already successful and likely to grow even more so.