Sea Eagles of Scotland Flying High

13th August 2008

White Tailed Sea Eagles are continuing to thrive in Scotland after becoming extinct due to hunting and egg collecting. The last Sea Eagle on the Isle of Skye died in 1916. In 1975 a re-introduction programme began by releasing a breeding pair taken from Norway on the Isle of Rum, to the south of Skye.

In the following years more birds were released into the wild and offspring of these birds found their way to Skye and in 1987, hatched chicks on the Island.

The conservation efforts have been a great success with a stable and growing population of White Tailed Sea Eagle's on the west coast of Scotland. Wildlife watching has become an important part of the local tourist economy and regular boats go out with tourists hoping to see the Eagles in their natural habitat. Below is some recent footage of an Eagle filmed at the Isle of Skye.