A pathological investigation, which was made possible thanks to the close surveillance and expertise of a pioneering conservation initiative that has boosted a previously low golden eagle population to record numbers, has today (Monday 25 November 2024) confirmed that a locally fledged golden eagle named Sparky has been killed by a wind turbine in Galloway.
The first recorded incident of its kind in the south of Scotland, the news has led to renewed calls for urgent funding and support to help the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project continue with its state-of-the-art monitoring and research to reinforce and protect the golden eagle population in southern Scotland, and to support work to advise on future land use developments. It comes as the project team was also instrumental in supporting another recent investigation which found another sub-adult male golden eagle called Thistle was killed by a territorial eagle, as is a natural occurrence in the wild.
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project was initially due to conclude this year, but after identifying more need than ever for their work, they have developed bold new plans and will become a standalone charity named RUN (Restoring Upland Nature) in 2025. With enough funding, the new charity (registered charity number SC053663) plans to build on the project’s groundbreaking work to ensure golden eagles can continue to soar in southern skies and return to parts of the UK where they are currently absent. This includes funding to retain the expertise and cutting-edge technology that will allow the charity to gather essential insights to support ‘nature and humans thriving alongside each other’.
In addition to over 40 birds that the team have translocated themselves, the project team has tagged a number of locally fledged birds to gain a better understanding of behaviour, health, risks, and opportunities affecting birds in the area. The Project’s close surveillance of these birds led to the prompt discovery of the body of Sparky (a three-year-old male, which fledged from a nest in Galloway) on the afternoon of Friday 22 August. Sparky was found 15 metres from a turbine base, with his wing detached. The windfarm company personnel worked closely and efficiently with the Project team to secure the body for pathological investigations.
Cause of death confirmed
The cause of Sparky’s death was confirmed today by The Veterinary Investigation Centre at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) in Dumfries. They conducted a variety of tests (toxicology, histopathology, virology, bacteriology and parasitology), which found the bird had been in good condition, and concluded that his fatal injuries were ‘typical of those associated with a wind turbine strike.’
Crucial role played by The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project
Explaining the significance of their involvement in the investigation, Dr Cat Barlow, Project Manager of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project said: “Our satellite tagging system allowed us to immediately detect that something untoward had happened to Sparky at Windy Rig Windfarm in Galloway. This ensured investigators could quickly recover the body before weather and wild scavengers destroyed any evidence. Without our team’s surveillance and ability to respond promptly, we may never have known what led to Sparky’s death. Gathering knowledge from the satellite tags is vital to ensuring the continued protection of golden eagles, and further reinforces the importance of our work to monitor golden eagles in southern Scotland.
“The need for our new charity, RUN (Restoring Upland Nature), is more important than ever. As a new standalone charity, we can continue to provide a strong voice for golden eagles and other threatened species when it matters most to ensure that nature and humans can thrive alongside each other. Though sustainable energy is key to addressing the climate crisis and protecting our natural world in the long term, as Sparky’s death shows, death through wind turbine collision is a risk, so it is important that charities like ours exist to support work to mitigate risks to golden eagles – both at existing sites and when new development proposals are being considered. We can use our unique insights to advise decision makers, so that developments do not harm golden eagles, habitats or their prey. Through our monitoring work and technology, we are uniquely placed to do this in the south of Scotland.
“However, support from funders and the public is absolutely crucial to allowing our work to continue.”
Sparky was named by Dumfries & Galloway Raptor Study Group, after one of their long-standing members, Charlie Park MBE. Speaking as the news was confirmed today, Chair of the Group Chris Rollie said: “We are devasted 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.
“After all their hard work in providing insights like these and boosting the local population to record numbers, we hope The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project can secure enough funding to continue to play a role in supporting conservation of golden eagles here. We are delighted to play a key role in supporting their work.”
Scottish Renewables response
Morag Watson, Director of Onshore at Scottish Renewables, said: “Wind energy is one of the key technologies we are able to deploy at scale to reduce the carbon emissions which cause climate change – the greatest long-term threat to Scotland’s wildlife.
“All wind farms in Scotland go through years of environmental monitoring before they are built and evidence to date has suggested golden eagles tend to avoid well-sited windfarms, so it is incredibly sad to hear about this incident.
“The renewable energy industry works closely with bodies including the Scottish Government, NatureScot, RSPB and others to better understand bird behaviour and make sure wind developments are sensitive to bird populations.
“We look forward to working with the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project and utilising its expertise to allow the onshore wind sector to play an important role in the protection of golden eagles in southern Scotland.”
Continued monitoring key to mitigating future risks
Since the project’s work began, the team’s thorough research and monitoring has provided crucial insights into several opportunities, risks and challenges facing golden eagles in the area. Sadly another recent death recorded by the project, was that of Thistle, a male golden eagle translocated by the project in August 2022 and named by RSPB Scotland. Once again, satellite-tag data allowed the team to quickly locate his body and a pathological investigation found that his death was likely due to another territorial eagle, which is normal population behaviour. In natural golden eagle populations, territorial breeding eagles will attack and kill intruding sub adult birds trying to take their place.
Michael Clarke, Chair of the South of Scotland Golden Project added: “The death of any golden eagle is extremely sad. The evidence our team gathers is essential to identifying causes of death and to mitigate future risks to the surviving population.
“Thankfully however, overall, the golden eagles translocated by the project have a high survival rate. Thanks to the vital support of previous core partners and funders, including the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, conservationists, game keepers, landowners and members of the community, we have helped to more than triple the golden eagle population in the south of Scotland to the highest number recorded in the area for three centuries.
“Golden eagles are back to stay in the South of Scotland, and we very much hope they continue to spread from here to long-empty historical ranges across the UK, but they can only do this with the Project’s continued support.”
Collaboration and funding key to continued success
A key element of the project’s success is their unique approach to partnership engagement, led by the established project team, working inclusively with a diverse range of partners and community representatives uniting under the shared vision to restore the golden eagle population. If enough funds are secured, the project will continue this vital collaborative partnership approach, which has achieved great international acclaim.
To support the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project as it becomes RUN (Restoring Upland Nature), you can donate, or register your interest in becoming a supporting partner, via: goldeneaglessouthofscotland.co.uk (if donating, please specify that you would like your donation to go to RUN).
