After five centuries of absence, the white-tailed eagle is not just back, it is putting down roots.
The moment of discovery
The nest appeared first. Then the eggs. Then, on 18 April 2024, a chick. It was the first white-tailed eagle born in Belgium in approximately 500 years. It was the kind of moment that conservationists spend careers hoping for, and it happened in a waterlogged nature reserve in the West Flanders countryside, watched over by a volunteer with binoculars and an almost uncontainable excitement.
That was the beginning. What makes the story even more remarkable is what happened next.
A pair called Paul and Betty
The eagles now known as Paul and Betty arrived at De Blankaart nature reserve near Woumen, Diksmuide, in the spring of 2023. Nobody expected them to stay. White-tailed eagles (also known as sea eagles) were already appearing more frequently in Belgium as a result of population recoveries in neighbouring countries, but breeding here seemed a remote prospect. The pair had other ideas.
Through the autumn of 2023 they built a nest in a willow tree, evicting the resident pair of buzzards in the process. Eggs were laid in early spring 2024. The wait began.
The scientific name of the species is Haliaeetus albicilla. With a wingspan of up to 2.4 metres, it is the largest eagle in Europe and one of the most impressive birds on the continent. It feeds largely on fish, snatching them from the water’s surface with a low, hovering swoop, but it also takes ducks, rabbits, and hares. During the breeding season, a pair needs 500 to 600 grams of food per day to sustain themselves and their young.
A safety perimeter of 300 metres was established around the nest, with a fine of up to €500,000 for anyone caught breaching it. Visitors were directed to the arch bridge near the Blankaart castle, the birdwatching hide, and the observation tower; all with the caveat that powerful binoculars were essential.
18 April 2024: History is made
On the morning of 18 April 2024, Natuurpunt volunteer Guido Vandenbroucke noticed a change in the eagles’ behaviour. They were sitting higher in the nest, leaning forward, feeding with their beaks tilted downward. The signs were unmistakable. A chick had hatched. Another soon became visible.
Natuurpunt, the conservation organisation that manages De Blankaart, invited the public to choose names for the pair of chicks. The results were entirely fitting: Gloria (for the glory of the occasion) and Guido, a tribute to the nature reserve warden who had watched over them so patiently.
The hatching made international headlines. Conservation organisations from across Europe celebrated what was widely described as the first confirmed breeding in Belgium in around 500 years; a timeframe that puts it roughly in the era of Charles V.
2025: The white-tailed eagles come back
Paul and Betty’s 2024 chicks, Gloria and Guido, fledged successfully and left the reserve in October and December 2024. They are now probably somewhere over Belgium, the Netherlands, or Germany. Juveniles roam freely until they find a territory of their own in four or five years’ time. Interestingly, white-tailed eagles have been spotted in April 2026 inland in Flanders, at Het Vinne, Zoutleeuw, and Webbekoms Broek, Diest. I wonder if they are Gloria and/or Guido?
Meanwhile their parents wasted no time. Rather than returning to repair their old nest, Paul and Betty built an entirely new one. This was a more sheltered position in a tall poplar, better protected from wind and storm. The walking trail at De Blankaart was rerouted in early 2025 to give visitors a new vantage point to observe the nest from a safe distance.
Betty laid her first egg in the early hours of 3-4 March 2025, almost exactly the same date as the previous year. The first chick hatched on 9 April 2025, with another following shortly. The chicks were given the names Aloïs and Stefanie, after the first inhabitants of the farms in the nearby Vijfhuizen, a hamlet close to the nest.
For the second consecutive year, white-tailed eagles had bred in Belgium.
2026: Three years and counting!
The story did not stop there. In March 2026, Paul and Betty began incubating eggs for a third consecutive year, cementing De Blankaart as the only known white-tailed eagle breeding site in Belgium, and one that now has a degree of permanence about it. Guido Vandenbroucke commented that the eagles seem to know the territory better each year, building smarter and starting earlier.
Update: On 20 April 2026 two chicks have been spotted in the nest.
What began as an unexpected visit is becoming, quietly, a success story.
Follow the latest news on the eagles at www.zeearend.be.
Why now? The broader picture
Belgium was not always without these birds. White-tailed eagles were once a natural part of the European landscape, from Ireland to eastern Siberia and Japan. Their decline through the 19th and 20th centuries was driven by hunting, habitat loss, and the widespread use of organochlorine pesticides (such as DDT). These thinned eggshells and destroyed breeding success across the continent.
The recovery has been slow but steady. Since the 1970s, bans on the worst chemicals and the gradual depollution of rivers and lakes have allowed the species to rebuild. There are now estimated to be over 6,000 breeding pairs across Europe, and the IUCN lists the species as Least Concern.
The Netherlands crossed its own milestone in 2006, when white-tailed eagles bred there for the first time in the modern era. By 2024 the Dutch counted around 40 nesting pairs. Eastern France has seen a similar recovery. It was almost inevitable that Belgium, lying between them, would follow. Paul and Betty appear to have come from the Dutch side of the border.
Reintroduction programmes in the UK have been running for decades. There, white-tailed eagles have returned to coastlines and lakeshores where they had not been seen for a century or more. Belgium’s story is different. It’s not a reintroduction, but a natural colonisation, which many conservationists view as the more meaningful kind. It’s a similar but smaller example of the return of the peregrine falcons to Brussels and elsewhere in Belgium.
Visiting De Blankaart
De Blankaart is freely accessible and managed by Natuurpunt. You can start your visit from the Natuurpunt visitor centre. The trail has been adjusted since early 2025 to accommodate the eagles’ new nest location. It is a longer walk than before, but the new vantage point is actually closer to the nest.
The best viewing spots remain the two birdwatching hides and the viewing area accessible from the rerouted path. The old bridge near the Blankaart castle remains a pleasant stop, though the nest is no longer visible from there. Bring a telescope or powerful binoculars: this is not a situation where a phone camera will help you.
Beyond the eagles, De Blankaart is one of the finest wetland nature reserves in Flanders, with thousands of wintering geese, great egrets, marsh harriers, and an excellent range of reedbed species including the booming bittern, heard more often than seen at dusk.
Where to stay near De Blankaart
If you decide to visit De Blankaart to see the white-tailed eagles or the other birds on the reserve, I can recommend three excellent B&Bs close by:
- B&B De Klaproos: “Wonderful place to stay if you are in the area. Amazing hosts, great breakfast, and they offered us great info on local spots.”
- B&B Ferme Gisèle: “New rooms in a very quiet location along the IJzer River, just hop on your bike and explore the beautiful polders.”
- B&B Amma Erna: “Super friendly, enthusiastic hostess who cooks incredibly well and deliciously!”
Frequently asked questions
When did white-tailed eagles first breed in Belgium in modern times?
The first confirmed breeding in around 500 years took place at De Blankaart nature reserve in West Flanders in 2024. The first chick hatched on 18 April 2024.
What are the names of Belgium’s breeding white-tailed eagles?
The breeding pair at De Blankaart are known as Paul and Betty. Their 2024 chicks were named Gloria and Guido. Their 2025 chicks are named Aloïs and Stefanie.
Where can I see white-tailed eagles in Belgium?
De Blankaart nature reserve near Woumen, Diksmuide (West Flanders) is the only known breeding site. The reserve is freely accessible; follow the rerouted trail from the Natuurpunt visitor centre. White-tailed eagles can occasionally be seen elsewhere in Belgium, particularly in winter, as birds from neighbouring populations pass through.
How big is a white-tailed eagle?
White-tailed eagles have a wingspan of up to 2.4 metres. That’s wider than a king-size bed. They are thus Europe’s largest eagle. They are sometimes called sea eagles.
Why did white-tailed eagles disappear from Belgium?
The main causes were hunting and the use of pesticides such as DDT, which caused eggshell thinning and widespread breeding failure across Europe during the 20th century. Habitat loss was also a factor. The ban on these chemicals and habitat recovery since the 1970s has allowed the population to rebuild across the continent.
Is the white-tailed eagle endangered?
No. The IUCN lists the white-tailed eagle as Least Concern globally, with over 6,000 breeding pairs now estimated across Europe. Its return to Belgium is nonetheless a significant conservation milestone.
When is the best time to visit De Blankaart to see the white-tailed eagles?
The breeding season (March-July) for nest activity, but the autumn months for the opportunity to spot an eagle hunting over the lakes.
Final words
I believe there is something quite wonderful about the fact that two white-tailed eagles have returned to the area around Diksmuide. It’s a landscape shaped by drainage, agriculture, and the long memory of the First World War. That Europe’s largest eagle has chosen this corner of West Flanders to return to, and has now done so three years in a row, feels like the land giving something back.
(Header image of white-tailed eagle by quillerpl from Pixabay)
I created Discovering Belgium in 2011 to share the country’s hidden stories, fascinating places, and remarkable people. Through articles, photography, and audio walks, I share discoveries that reveal Belgium beyond the obvious. Hope you enjoy this site.
Beautiful bird!
Indeed it is!
How wonderful! And great that it is spontaneous. We have about 150 pairs here through reintroduction programmes (mainly in Scotland but I think some in England).
That’s an impressive number. Have you seen one?
Sadly not – unless it was a speck high up in the sky!
This is amazing news, Denzil! They are stunning birds. Looks like conditions have improved for them to stay three years in a row.
It’s good to hear some positive environmental news isn’t it!
It sure is!