(haliaeetus albicilla)
The White-tailed Eagle (or as it is commonly called, the Sea Eagle) was exterminated in Scotland in the early years of the 20th century. A re-introduction program began in the 1970s with chicks being reared in Norway and brought for release in Western Scotland, initially on the island of Rhum. This population is now self sustaining with over 30 territorial pairs mostly on the Inner and Outer Hebrides and the west coast. Rhum, Mull and Skye are perhaps the main strongholds. Another re-introduction program has begun in eastern Scotland with birds being released in Fife in 2008-2010. It is yet to be discovered whether any of these birds will remain on the east coast.
The easiest way to see these magnificent birds is to take the popular boat trip from Portree on the Isle of Skye. With luck one of the birds from the nearby nest site will come down to take a fish thrown from the boat.
In January 2011 there were two birds wandering around the Loch Lomond area for a week or so before being relocated some days later on the island of Bute in the Clyde estuary - both these birds were from the Fife release scheme but from different years.