In Romania, the last Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) nest, was found in the late 60’s, on the “Dealul Cocoș” hill, in Tulcea County. Thus, the identification of this year’s nest is of great importance to those interested in nature conservation in general and especially for those interested in ornithology.

The observations were made in March, by the Milvus Group’s ornithologists in Timiș and Arad counties, where Imperial Eagles and White-tailed Eagles can be seen quite often. In one specific spot, in Arad County, our specialists were looking forward for this species to breed, as the eagles were seen regularly in the last few years.

On March 25, during fieldwork, two pairs of Imperial Eagles were found occupying two separate territories.

On one of the territories a subadult (6th year) and a second year bird was observed. This area is not suitable for nesting, since there are no suitable trees which could permit nest construction. For this reason, members of our association are considering to mount a special platform, to facilitate the nesting of this pair.

In the second territory, a relatively larger nest was located in a false acacia tree, but from a distance, our team was not able to exactly define the size of the nest or to record the presence of any birds around it. However, the nest raised some interest (as it was clearly a newly built nest) and our specialists decided to approach it. To their joy, they’ve seen a sub-adult eagle sitting on the nest. Its pair was not seen, but closely, another young eagle was spotted. Two days after the first report, another group of our experts confirmed the presence of the bird in the nest.

The observations were made in the afternoon, in low light and from a distance through the telescope; this is why the photos are not of a satisfactory quality.

In the last 15 years, near the border with Hungary, Imperial Eagles from different age-groups were seen regularly throughout the year. The area proved to be promising for the nesting of this species, which is why we visited the region several times a year. But, in order to confirm with certainty the existence of an active Imperial Eagle nest, we had to wait until now.

The area is not disturbed, so theoretically it is possible for these birds to nest successfully here. Given that the bird is not in full adult plumage, and because this is the first year when the territory is occupied, 2016 might be a “trial year” for these birds. Even so, we believe it is a promising sign, that these eagles have chosen this area and we were able to record an active nest.