Sea eagles set to soar again

White-tailed sea eagles have been released into the wild as part of a reintroduction programme, according to RSPB Scotland.

The 19 birds arrived as chicks from Norway in June and have since been reared in specially-built aviaries until they were old enough to fledge.

They have been released into the sky over the past week from a secret location in Fife.

The birds, the UK’s largest, were once a regular sight in Scotland’s skies, but were driven to extinction by game preservers and collectors in the Victorian era, with the last individual bird killed in 1916.

Dubbed “flying barn doors” they only returned to the UK following a successful reintroduction to the west of Scotland, on the Island of Rum in 1975.

The birds of prey are now being introduced on the other side of the country as part of the East Scotland Sea Eagle reintroduction project, a partnership scheme between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission Scotland. Claire Smith, RSPB Scotland East Coast Sea Eagle project officer, said: “A diet of pike, haddock and roe deer has helped make sure these birds are fit and ready for life in the wild.

“Each bird has been fitted with a radio and wing tags so both project staff and the public can follow their progress.

“Since the start of the project in 2007, the survival of the released birds has been good.

“We now expect that in the next few years some of our older birds will begin to set up territory on the east coast of Scotland and, one day produce chicks of their own.”

Between 2007 and 2009 44 birds were released, and 33 survived.

The released birds often roost in small groups and have spent their time investigating the coasts, glens and firths of Scotland.

The RSPB hopes the reintroduction programme will help restore the species to parts of their former range in the east of Scotland and contribute to wider conservation efforts across Europe for sea eagles.

Susan Davies, SNH’s director of policy and advice, said: “In this International Year of Biodiversity it is particularly good to see the efforts to restore the sea eagle population across Scotland continue. These new recruits will help ensure that this impressive bird’s future, as an important part of Scotland’s biodiversity, is secured.

“As more people choose to stay at home for holidays, and as wildlife watching becomes ever more popular, our sea eagles help provide a local attraction that contributes to the local economy.” The chicks are brought in from Norway because it has a sustainable population with around 3,000 breeding pairs.