White-tailed sea eagle

White-tailed sea eagle

The sea eagle (or white-tailed eagle as it's also called) is a rare and protected bird that has been reintroduced to the coasts of west and east Scotland. Sea eagles are already well known to Springwatch and Autumnwatch viewers since Simon King went to visit a sea eagle family on the Island of Mull in Scotland during Springwatch 2005. We got to know two chicks, Itchy and Scratchy, and their doting parents, Skye and Freisa.

In 2008, Skye and Freisa had had two more chicks called Mara and Breagha. We've seen the activity at the nest, but what happens to the chicks once they leave home? The RSPB's Dave Sexton has been tracking Mara and Breagha since they left their nest on Mull, using the latest satellite tag technology.

Find out more about the RSPB's sea eagle work, and get the very latest on the two young eagles on Dave Sexton's blog.

See below for Dave Sexton's video diary of his efforts to stay in touch with the eagle chicks. Gordon Buchanan also visited Mull (where he grew up) to catch up with Dave Sexton and to help attach the satellite transmitters.

View a slideshow of your amazing sea eagle pictures in the Flickr group.

Species information

Slightly larger than the majestic golden eagle, the white-tailed eagle is the UK's largest bird of prey. It stands just short of a metre tall with a wingspan of up to 2.5m with 'fingers' at the tips. With its unmistakable and distinctive wedge-shaped white tail, it's a truly magnificent specimen, despite often being described as vulture-like in appearance. The sea eagle name comes from its liking of lochs and coastal locations, where it will make massive nests of sticks in trees or on sea cliffs.

To see this awesome predator hunting fish is something else. It hovers over the water plucking fish from the surface with its strong talons, often eating its meal in flight. Seabirds and small mammals like rabbits are sometimes taken for a snack. But it's also often to be found scavenging rotting fish that have been washed up on the shore or even stealing food from other birds and animals.

Once widespread in Scotland and the Lake District, it was persecuted to extinction early in the 1900s. A successful programme of reintroduction in Scotland has seen pairs breeding for over 30 years, although numbers are still small: possibly only about 200 in total.

The sea eagle is seen all year round at the coast, lakes and river valleys in the Highlands and Islands on the west coast of Scotland. Recently it was released on the east coast of Scotland too.

How to help

The sea eagle or white-tailed eagle is a rare and protected bird. Read the RSPB case study on its conservation. Also help the BTO record bird movements and distribution throughout the UK online with BirdTrack.

Sea eagles video diary part one

The Isle of Mull is home to a quarter of all sea eagles. Gordon Buchanan introduces us to a very special family and how two chicks were tagged to help track these birds of prey.

Sea eagles video dairy part two

RSPB officer Dave Sexton follows the progress of the tagged chicks during a very wet summer.

Sea eagles video dairy part three

It's now August and disaster strikes a sea eagle nest, while chicks Mara and Breagh have fledged the nest and are safe and sound on Mull.