Ravens try stealing Dutch white-tailed eagle eggs

Translated from Staatsbosbeheer in The Netherlands:

6 April 2007

This week, the white-tailed eagle nest in Oostvaardersplassen (Flevoland province) was left alone for a while.

At first, the female flew away from the nest; then, the male as well.

Immediately, a raven appeared near the nest, and a bit later a second raven.

Ravens love to eat eggs and tried to use the eagle parents’ absence.

They failed, as the female eagle came back to the nest soon.

Then, both ravens flew away. However, the white-tailed eagle looked anxious sitting on the nest for a long time.

Ever since early March, what goes on around the eagle nest in Oostvaardersplassen can be seen through a webcam.

The male and the female change positions on the egg.

Breeding takes 40 days.

White-tailed eagles have one to three eggs; however, it is still not clear how many are in this nest.

Both white-tailed eagles and ravens have been extinct in The Netherlands.

The raven became extinct early in the twentieth century, and was re-introduced later in that century.

The white-tailed eagle had been extinct for many centuries longer; and had its first nest, at Oostvaardersplassen, last year.

White ravens in Britain: here.