Golden Eagle’s Death Attributed to Wind Turbine Collision

A conservation organization has reported the death of a golden eagle in Dumfries and Galloway, following what appears to be a collision with a wind turbine. The three-year-old male, named Sparky, had been raised locally from a nest within the territory monitored by the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project. Its remains were discovered in August, 15 metres (49ft) from the base of a turbine at the Windy Rig wind farm, with one of its wings separated. According to the project’s leadership, examinations performed on the bird indicated that its lethal injuries were “typical of those associated with a wind turbine strike.” They assert that this fatality underscores the necessity of reducing hazards for endangered avian species at both planned and operational turbine locations. Chris Rollie, the chairman of the group, stated: “We are devastated to learn of Sparky’s death. Evidence to date has suggested golden eagles tend to avoid windfarms, but without the state-of-the-art satellite tagging that the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project provides, incidents of this nature are hard to detect. This reinforces the urgent need for decision-makers to work closely with The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project and our Raptor Study Group as further windfarms are approved.” Since 2018, the eagle project has been involved in releasing and raising birds at its undisclosed location near Moffat. In 2022, it achieved a global first by successfully relocating seven free-flying young golden eagles, ranging from six months to three years old, with the aim of increasing the dwindling population. The organization announced earlier this year that, due to its efforts, the golden eagle population in southern Scotland had reached 47 individuals, marking the highest count in several centuries. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.