UK's oldest White-tailed Eagle dies on Mull aged 32

The UK’s oldest wild White-tailed Eagle has died aged 32 on the Isle of Mull.

The female eagle, named Frisa, hatched on the Scottish island in 1992 where she spent three decades raising chicks.

She was the daughter of a female named Blondie, who successfully raised the first White-tailed Eagle chick to fledge in Scotland following the reintroduction of the species in 1975.

Frisa paired up with her long-time mate Skye in 1997, with the pair raising their first chick on Mull the following the year.

Frisa has not been seen since last year, leading experts to believe that she has died of either natural causes or following an altercation with another eagle. Iain Erskine/RSPB Scotland

They would go on to raise 25 chicks in their 28 years of partnership, nesting on land managed by Forestry and Land Scotland.

Frisa’s death was announced on the latest episode of Springwatch on June 2.

RSPB Ambassador Dave Sexton, who spent 21 of his 36-year RSPB career working with White-tailed Eagles on Mull, said Frisa had been “a very special bird who had touched the hearts of millions who saw her both on TV and in the wild”.

He added: “As Frisa got on in years, I dreaded the day I would visit her territory and find her gone.

“Sadly, that day has come and I feel like I’ve lost a friend.

“But what a wonderful life she had with her mate Skye. Together they raised 25 chicks, many of which are now breeding far and wide across Scotland.

“She was a true icon for White-tailed Eagles and she’ll always hold a special place in my heart.”

Frisa has not been seen since last year, leading experts to believe that she has died of either natural causes or following an altercation with another eagle.

Skye has been spotted with another younger female eagle on Mull, which further suggests that Frisa has passed away as White-tailed Eagles mate for life.

It means that Skye, who hatched in 1994, is now the oldest wild White-tailed Eagle in the UK at 31-years-old.

The species became extinct in the UK in 1918, when the last known native wild bird was shot in Shetland.

However, a reintroduction project by NatureScot on the Isle of Rum, which began in 1975 using chicks donated from Norway, has seen White-tailed Eagles re-establish a self-sustaining population in Scotland.

There are now estimated to be up to 200 pairs in the UK.