How many golden eagles do we have?
Written by Nicklas Iversen | Last edited 8. June 2021
Unlike with the other predators, we have no precise numbers for Norway’s golden eagle population, but there are estimated to be between 800 and 1,200 nesting pairs.
HOW MANY GOLDEN EAGLES LIVE IN NORWAY?
Unlike with the other predators, we have no precise numbers for Norway’s golden eagle population.
In 2003, it was estimated that we had somewhere between 850 and 1,200 pairs of eagles in Norway. So around two thousand eagles more or less.
A population count from 2015 to 2019 estimated that there were between 914-1145 nesting pairs in Norway, but there was a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the figures.
HOW MANY EAGLES DO THE AUTHORITIES WANT TO HAVE?
The Norwegian Government decided in 2004 that we should maintain the same level as the population estimated in 2003. In other words, they want between 850 and 1,200 nesting pairs.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE HOW MANY GOLDEN EAGLES WE HAVE
It is, of course, harder to estimate population size for golden eagles than for the other predators we have in Norway. Golden eagle nests are often very difficult for humans to get to, and it may also be hard to identify individual birds and tell them apart.
This has led to us using the number of nesting pairs to measure population, as modern technology means that photos and drones can be used to see whether a nest has been used in the past year.
This article has been written by Bjørn Henrik Stavdal Johansen, a nature guide at Visitor Centre Carnivore Flå.
