Granddad’s Camera
Golden eagle, as it appears in the game

No.074 · Birds · Very rare

Golden eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

Scotland's great mountain raptor, a golden-headed giant that soars over the corries and glens of the Cairngorms.

When to look

All year, mostly at day.

Time of day

Best time
Day, all year. Watch from a viewpoint on a clear morning when thermals build; February–March courtship displays are the best.
Where in the game
the Cairngorms (mountain and moorland)
Size
Length 76–90 cm
Wingspan
About 2.1 m
Weight
3.7–5.3 kg
Lifespan
Typically about 23 years once breeding (BTO)
Population
508 pairs in Scotland in the 2015 national survey (BTO; 510 pairs UK)
Status
Green (Birds of Conservation Concern 5, 2021)

Diet

Mountain hares, ptarmigan, red grouse, rabbits, and carrion, especially deer carcases in winter.

Habitat

Open mountain, moorland and crags; remote glens.

Breeding

Builds a large eyrie on a crag or old pine; typically 2 eggs laid in March–April, incubated for 43–45 days; the chick fledges after 65–70 days (July–August)

Field signs

  • Huge, dark bird with long, broad wings held flat in a slight 'V'
  • Eyrie on a crag with a heap of sticks
  • Long, whitish streaks (whitewash) below the nest ledge
  • Plucked prey remains with big feathers

Did you know?

  • The 2015 survey found 508 pairs, up about 16% over 33 years (BTO).
  • The white patches in the wings and tail of young golden eagles fade as they mature.
  • Golden eagles are found throughout the Scottish Highlands and on most Hebridean islands (BTO).

Moments worth waiting for

  • Sky-dance display February to March, day
    A pair of golden eagles rise and dive together above the corrie, undulating on stiff wings in their courtship display.

Photo tip

Sit with a long lens (500 mm+) in the open on a still, clear day and watch the sky for eagles rising on the thermals. Shoot at 1/2000 s or faster.

Be a good naturalist

Eagle nests must never be approached: disturbance at the nest is a serious offence. Use only recognised viewpoints, and report any signs of persecution (poison, traps, missing tagged birds) to Police Scotland and RSPB Investigations.

The law

Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest.

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