White-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla reintroduction to the Isle of Rhum, Scotland, 1975–1977

Abstract

An attempt to reintroduce the white-tailed sea eagle to the west of Scotland was initiated by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1975, on the Isle of Rhum. Four eaglets were obtained from Norway that year; one of them died in captivity and the other three (all females) were released. Ten more were acquired in 1976 and a further four in 1977. Of these a total of 13 (8♀ and 5♂) had been released into the wild by May 1977. Two have since been recovered dead, but the others apparently adapted readily to a free-living existence. Eight more are to be released during 1978. The first nesting attempts can be expected once the young birds reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age (possibly in 1980 or 1981).