White-tailed eagle watching in the Netherlands: where and when

Guide · The Netherlands · Winter

Lees in het Nederlands

With a wingspan of almost two and a half metres, the white-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in the Netherlands. Twenty years ago it did not breed here; today you can see it in every large wetland. Winter is the best time: that is when the most eagles are in the country, and they are easy to spot in the bare trees. This guide tells you where to see them, when, and how to watch without disturbing them.

At a glance

Best time	November to March; in winter the Netherlands holds the most white-tailed eagles
Best places	Oostvaardersplassen, Lauwersmeer, Biesbosch
Best moment	Morning and afternoon; they sit still for long periods in a tree or on a post
Numbers	About 45 breeding pairs (2025), 90 to 160 birds in winter
Bring	Binoculars and ideally a telescope; the eagles are often far away

How to recognise a white-tailed eagle

Birdwatchers call it the “flying door”: in the air you mainly see a huge, rectangular wing with spread “fingers” at the tip. Adults are brown with a paler head, a yellow bill and a short, wedge-shaped white tail. Young birds are darker, have a dark bill and only get the white tail after four to five years.

Wingspan	About 2 to 2.45 metres; females are larger than males
Adult	Brown, pale head, yellow bill, white wedge-shaped tail
Young	Dark brown with pale mottling, dark bill, no white tail yet
Do not confuse with	The common buzzard (much smaller) and the osprey (white below, a summer visitor)

The best places to see white-tailed eagles

1. Oostvaardersplassen (Flevoland)

The first Dutch pair bred here in 2006, and it is still the best-known site. Start at the Buitencentrum Oostvaardersplassen (Kitsweg 1, Lelystad). From there it is a fifteen-minute walk to the large De Zeearend hide, which has two floors and a view over the marsh. The “Looking for the white-tailed eagle” walk is 5 kilometres and starts and ends at the Buitencentrum. The eagles often perch in the dead willows or hunt over the reeds.

2. Lauwersmeer (Groningen and Friesland)

White-tailed eagles have bred in Lauwersmeer National Park since 2011. A good spot is the Ezumakeeg viewpoint on the west side of the lake, with parking right next to it. Go in the afternoon, with the sun behind you, and bring a telescope. In winter the lake also holds tens of thousands of geese and ducks: the eagle’s prey.

3. Biesbosch (South Holland and North Brabant)

White-tailed eagles have bred in the Biesbosch since 2012, and numbers are growing fast. Around the Petrusplaat, a reservoir in the Brabant Biesbosch, there is a bird hide and a viewing mound; the loop around the reservoir is about 5 kilometres. You can also join an excursion or boat trip from the visitor centres in Dordrecht and Werkendam.

Other places

The eagles are spreading to more and more large waters: the Randmeren lakes, the Zwarte Meer near Kampen, the Zuidlaardermeer area and the Western Scheldt with the Drowned Land of Saeftinghe. Check waarneming.nl for recent sightings.

When can you see the most eagles?

November – February	Best time: besides the Dutch breeding birds there are winter visitors from the north and east, and they are easy to see in bare trees
January – March	Display flights: pairs fly high together over the nesting area and call
March – April	Migration; breeding pairs are on the nest, so keep extra distance
Summer	Young birds fledge; the eagles are less conspicuous

See the seasonal calendar for the Netherlands for more month by month.

How to watch without disturbing

Nests	Never look for nests and stay on the paths; white-tailed eagles are very sensitive to disturbance in the breeding season
Distance	Watch from hides and viewpoints, with binoculars or a telescope
Drones	Do not use them: raptors see drones as a threat, and flying is usually banned in nature reserves
Closures	Parts of the reserves are closed in the breeding season; check the site manager’s website before you go

More guides: Seals in Zeeland · Cranes in Germany · All guides

Sources: Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology (white-tailed eagle, breeding pairs and winter counts); Staatsbosbeheer and Nieuw Land National Park (Oostvaardersplassen, De Zeearend hide); Lauwersmeer National Park; De Biesbosch National Park.