Ospreys to be reintroduced to Ireland approximately 150 years after becoming extinct here

Ospreys are being reintroduced to Ireland some 150 years after the species became extinct in this country, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has said.

Plans to reintroduce the bird, once familiar around Irish lakes and rivers, have been in train for more than a decade and are due to come to fruition this summer, Minister of State for Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, said.

“The NPWS has drawn on international expertise and learning from around Europe and North America in the development of this programme,” he said.

“In particular, the project has the direct involvement of colleagues from Norway and the UK, who are not only top osprey experts but who have led and supported other key species-reintroduction programmes.”

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As with the successful white tailed eagle programme, which started in 2007, between 50 and 70 Osprey chicks are to be brought to Ireland from Norway over a five-year period. The first 12 chicks are due to arrive in July.

Although native ospreys are extinct, migratory ospreys still visit. In early May, a large brown and white osprey was sighted flying just over the water surface on the Lakes of Killarney. The species has a long heritage in Ireland, with several placenames around the country, particularly in Munster, referencing the bird.

“For example, Killarney National Park is home to a site known as Osprey Rock at Loch Léin, the largest of the Killarney lakes pointing to the bird’s history in Ireland, particularly close to rivers and lakes as it hunts for fish,” the NPWS said.

“The reintroduction programme aims to establish a viable, free-ranging osprey population that eventually breeds in Ireland.”

The project has been led by the team involved in the reintroduction of the eagle and is headed up by divisional manager, Dr Phillip Buckley, who believes the experience and knowledge gained during the previous programme will be helpful.

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Nesting platforms are being erected on a key migratory route for ospreys between Northern Europe and Africa.

Ospreys often nest in the same treetop eyrie for up to 20 years and are believed to be largely monogamous and strongly faithful to both nest and mate.

While the programme may take some time for the species to begin breeding again, the reintroduction of this fish-eating apex predator will provide significant insights into the health of the Irish ecosystem and its waters over time, the NPWS said.