The first time I peered out from a mist-shrouded ridge above the Scottish Borders, I half-expected only the cry of grouse or the swoop of a raven. But instead, somewhere high above, I glimpsed a silhouette—broad wings, regal carriage. That moment, fleeting as it was, held the promise of something remarkable: life returning where it had nearly vanished.
In recent years, an extraordinary conservation effort in southern Scotland has quietly rewritten nature’s script. Once nearly extirpated from these uplands, golden eagles are staging a comeback—thanks to bold ideas, rigorous science, and heartfelt community engagement. And, in particular, the fourth point of the project—the novel translocation of free-flying juvenile eagles—has captured both imaginations and hope.
From Near-Absence To Hopeful Resurgence
Historically, southern Scotland hosted only a handful of golden eagle pairs. Over decades, persecution, habitat fragmentation, and declining prey populations pushed these majestic raptors toward local extinction. By the time the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project launched, estimates placed only two to four breeding pairs across Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
But beginning in 2018, conservationists embarked on an ambitious translocation strategy: moving eagle chicks from healthier populations in the Highlands and Islands into the southern uplands. Over successive years, young eagles raised in the north were released in “secret” southern sites, cared for temporarily in release aviaries, and equipped with satellite tags to monitor their survival and movements.
By 2022, the project had realized its first major milestone: it became the first in the UK to translocate free-flying juveniles (aged 6 months to 3 years)—rather than only nestlings—to reinforce a fragile regional population. These new additions pushed the total eagle count in the southern region to around 33, the highest in three centuries.
That fourth point—this pioneering move of subadult eagles—is arguably the keystone. It allowed conservationists greater sourcing flexibility, minimized disturbance to nests, and tapped into wild-raised birds already programmed for flight and territory seeking. Dr Cat Barlow, project manager, has described it as a potentially “groundbreaking technique for global raptor conservation.”
Because while nestling translocation is well established in raptor work, shifting juveniles who have already flown—and who carry innate survival instincts—offers new possibilities for outreach, genetics, and post-release adaptability.
Between 2023 and 2024, the project added eight more free-flying birds (from the Outer Hebrides) under a research licence from NatureScot. That brought the total released subadult count to around 15, in addition to 28 nest-reared chicks released since 2018. As of mid-2024, approximately 47 eagles soared in southern Scotland—a new regional record after centuries of scarcity.
Stories In The Sky And On The Ground
These are not just numbers, but living stories. One eagle named Beaky—released in 2018—became the first of the group to explore south of the Scottish border. During lockdown in 2020, she flew as far as the Pennine Hills in northern England, a distance of over 140 miles. That journey proved the potential for restored populations to expand and reclaim lost territories.
Beyond wingspans and nesting sites, the project has woven itself into community life. More than 14,000 volunteers and participants, aged four to 92, have joined its efforts—building aviaries, monitoring habitats, offering public outreach, and fostering local pride.
Local festivals celebrate the eagle’s return: the town of Moffat has become the UK’s first “Eagle Town,” hosting an annual Eagle Festival that attracts families, birders, poets, and curious locals. Businesses have even launched eagle-themed products, and a symbolic wooden eagle bench remains in Moffat’s town centre.
The initiative’s achievements have drawn formal recognition. In 2022, the project won the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management’s Tony Bradshaw Award for Outstanding Achievement—a nod to its innovative partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and “exceptional best practice.” Michael Clarke, chair of the project board, called it “testament to the hard work of our pioneering project team … from ecologists, vets, funders, landowners … to thousands of community volunteers.”
Challenges Remain, But Hope Endures
No restoration effort is without risk. Monitoring must confirm whether released eagles settle, survive, and ultimately breed. The wild is unforgiving. The welfare of translocated birds, the suitability of habitat, and interactions with existing wildlife all demand careful stewardship.
Land management is crucial. Moorlands must support adequate prey (hares, rabbits, small mammals), and habitat corridors should give eagles room to roam and repopulate. In the recent Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust survey, golden eagle sightings in Scotland more than doubled—from 26 in 2023 to 59 in 2024—likely aided by improved moorland management and reduced persecution. Yet persecution, especially in grouse shoot areas, remains an ongoing threat in parts of Scotland.
Meanwhile, this revival has now sparked conversation about reintroducing golden eagles to England. The Guardian recently reported plans under consideration to return them to northern England, using lessons from the Scottish project as a blueprint. Because in some parts of England, habitat assessments suggest enough space and prey to support breeding eagles—a hopeful next frontier for Britain’s skies.
Even global observers are watching. The bird’s resurgence in southern Scotland is being held up as a model for translocation, rewilding, and cross-community conservation. The bold fourth point—the use of subadult translocations—offers a replicable strategy for raptor projects in other countries.
Lifting The Narrative Skyward
This is not merely a story of numbers or scientific technique—it’s a story of renewal, cooperation, and reverence. In every gust of wind across the moor, in every curious child craning their neck upward, lies the possibility that nature need not yield permanently. We are the stewards of these wild legacies.
When I imagine a community gathering at the Moffat Eagle Festival, sharing stories over flutes of tea and binoculars trained upward, I see ordinary people becoming custodians of wonder. When a volunteer helps fasten a satellite tag or monitors a nest—those are acts of bridge-building between human and wild.
And when a golden eagle rides a thermal updraft, casting a shadow across stone and heather, that silhouette is more than a bird. It is testimony: that where there is vision, care, and persistence, restoration can bloom again.
Sources:
Nature
Rare Bird Alert
The Times
