Eagle chicks take wing to Scottish skies

Published on Wednesday 12 August 2009 20:13

FOUR sea eagle chicks soared into the sky over Fife yesterday in a bid to reintroduce the rare bird of prey to the east coast of Scotland.

The young birds, which were brought to Scotland from Norway, were released into the wild near the Tay estuary after spending almost two months in a secret aviary.

A further ten three-month-old chicks will also be released into the wild later this week.

Thirty sea eagles – known as "flying barn doors" because of their 8ft wing span – were released in the first two years of the east coast reintroduction programme, and 24 are believed to be still surviving in the wild.

The East Scotland Sea Eagles project, launched in 2007, is a partnership project between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland and follows the successful reintroduction of the giant bird of prey on Scotland's West coast, started on the isle of Rum in 1975.