A probe into the death of a golden eagle has found the bird of prey was killed by a wind turbine in Galloway.
It is the first recorded incident of its kind in the region, and has prompted renewed calls for new safeguards to support ongoing efforts to protect the golden eagle population in southern Scotland.
The three-year-old male bird of prey, named Sparky, was discovered dead near a turbine base at Windy Rig windfarm in Galloway on August 22. Horrifying photos from the scene show one of it’s wings was ripped off as a result of the incident.
Investigations carried out by the Veterinary Investigation Centre at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) in Dumfries tragically confirmed that Sparky’s fatal injuries were consistent with a wind turbine strike.
It marks a significant set back for a groundbreaking conservation initative, the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, which has been pivotal in increasing the region’s golden eagle numbers to record levels.
The young eagle had fledged from a Galloway nest and had represented as a conservation success story. However, Sparky’s death, discovered just 15 meters from the turbine base, serves as a reminder of the challenges between renewable energy development and wildlife conservation.
Sparky, who was named by Dumfries & Galloway Raptor Study Group, chair of the group Chris Rollie, said she was gutted at the news.
She added: “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.”
Sparky’s death is not the only challenge the conservation team has faced. Another tagged golden eagle, a sub-adult male named Thistle, was recently confirmed to have been killed by a territorial eagle, a natural occurrence in the wild.
The project, which has translocated over 40 golden eagles and tagged numerous locally fledged birds, was initially set to conclude this year. However, with increasing demands for its work, there are now plans for a standalone charity named RUN (Restoring Upland Nature) in 2025.
Dr Cat Barlow, project manager of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, said: “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.
““However, support from funders and the public is absolutely crucial to allowing our work to continue.”
Morag Watson, Director of Onshore at Scottish Renewables, said: “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.
“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.”
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