Hidden camera captures rare wild white-tailed eagle egg hatching

A hidden camera has captured the moment a rare white-tailed eagle chick hatched on a remote nest in North Uist.

In the first hatch of the 2026 season, the chick emerged on Saturday, May 2, after the egg was laid on March 26.

The breeding pair, male Loki and female Caitir, have held the territory for several seasons.

The live stream, hosted by Uist Sea Eagles and Uist Forest Retreat, captured the moment the chick broke through the shell before receiving its first feed.

A second egg remains in the nest, with another hatch possible within the next 24 to 48 hours.

White-tailed eagles were driven to extinction in the UK by 1918. The species was reintroduced to Scotland on Isle of Rum in 1975 and has since recovered to around 150 breeding pairs.

Wildlife organisations say footage of a successful hatch is rarely seen by the public, as most nests are monitored remotely and are not broadcast live.

The live stream also shows the chick sheltering beneath an adult bird.