Two protected eagle owls die in Legoland collisions

A pair of endangered great eagle owls nesting in Legoland Billund produced three chicks this spring, but two have now died after colliding with park attractions, the park’s technical operations manager Torben Gunderlund told Jydske Vestkysten and DR.

The first chick left the nest earlier in the summer, while the remaining two stayed near the park. One was found dead near a ride several weeks ago, and the second died Monday after a collision with an attraction, Gunderlund said.

John Frikke, a biologist at Denmark’s Natural History Museum, noted that early flight is the most dangerous period for young birds. He added that while great eagle owls have been observed in active gravel pits and industrial buildings, Legoland was an unexpected nesting site.

The species, once extinct in Denmark, returned in 1984 and remains classified as threatened, with its only Danish population in Jutland. Frikke suggested the owls tolerate the park’s daytime activity because they hunt at night when the area is empty.

Legoland plans to install nest boxes on the park’s outskirts before next breeding season to provide a safer alternative, Gunderlund said.