GOLDEN EAGLE AQUILA-CHRYSAETOS BREEDING SUCCESS AND AFFORESTATION IN ARGYLL

Breeding success (fledged young/pair) was recorded for 15 pairs of Golden Eagles in Argyll over 10 years 1980-89. The amount of young plantation forestry in the potential hunting ranges of the 15 pairs of eagles was measured. There was no significant relationship between the amount of forestry in each range in 1980 and mean breeding success over the period 1980-89. However there was a significant negative relationship between breeding success and the amount of forestry planted up to 1970 and therefore at least 10 years old at the start of the breeding study. Suppressed breeding performance consequent upon afforestation of the potential hunting range of Golden Eagles may be detectable only after a considerable lag period.