White-Tailed Eagles soar again five decades after reintroduction to Scotland

They’re the largest bird of prey in Scotland with a wingspan that can reach more than two metres.

The White-Tailed Eagle are becoming a common sight once again after they were reintroduced in Scotland 50 years ago in 1975.

Sometimes called sea eagles, the birds were hunted to point of extinction more than a hundred years ago, but now their numbers are growing.

Dave Sexton has spent years monitoring the birds for RSPB Scotland and explained: “The last eagle was shot in Shetland in 1918; their disappearance was entirely due to human persecution.

“Now we have more than 200 breeding pairs.

“They were reintroduced onto the Isle of Rum and have continued to thrive from there; they’re a common sight now along the west coast around Mull for example and there’s a pair in the Cairngorms now too.”

“My dream would be to one day see them back in Shetland, they’ve touched base there but they’re not there permanently as of yet.”

Farm losses

The bird’s reintroduction has been contentious however, with sea eagles hitting the headlines earlier this month amid claims they were stealing Shetland pony foals in South Uist.

A Nature Scot investigation later found that the bones in nearby nests were from fish, rabbits and geese.

Farming unions say many of their members have had lambs stolen by sea eagles and argue more needs to be done.

Farmer Robert Macdonald is a representative for the NFUS and said: “Areas around Mull are particularly affected – there’s one farm where the farm losses are running into the tens of thousands every single year.

Highlands & Islands

Farmer ‘heartbroken’ amid claims eagles are stealing Shetland pony foals

Five Shetland pony foals disappeared from Donald John Cameron’s farm on South Uist between May and July this summer.

“I don’t believe the bird’s success was foreseen, so there’s no exit strategy. I think we now have to accept that something needs to be done to control them.

“We don’t want away with them; but there’s one or two rogue birds and they need to be redressed.”

Nature Scot say they’re working with farmers affected and have pointed to their sea eagle management scheme which provides advice and financial support.

Expansion of sea eagle programme

As the debate continues, other areas of the UK are also looking at reintroducing the birds from Scotland.

Fraser Cormack works as a warden at the Loch Garten Nature Reserve in the Cairngorms and is helping a project on the Isle of Wight who hope to re-establish the population there.

He explained: “I help collect chicks which are due to go down south, so each summer we monitor nests across Scotland and if there’s twins, we look at whether one of the pair are suitable to be used in the re-introduction programme.

“I think it’s important to have these species that we have wiped out from our ecosystem.”

Conservationists say the bird’s success shows how nature can thrive once again amongst a changing climate.

But as the number of sea eagles continue to grow, the debate around their presence will also continue.