An update from the aviaries (by Heather Richards)

The six white-tailed eagle chicks have been settling well into their new home in Fife.  On arrival, the chicks were given a health check by the vet and blood and faecal samples were taken.  The blood samples will be used to confirm the sex of the individuals as well as to screen for disease.  Although, we are still waiting confirmation from the blood samples, we have estimated that we have three males and three females!!

At the aviaries, the chicks were sorted according to size and housed in three pairs-this is to make sure that the bigger ones don’t out-compete the little ones. The two youngest chicks were put in an aviary together and the two oldest in another. The third pair appeared to be a bit of a mismatch in size but fortunately, the smallest chick definitely stood up for himself, and it very quickly became impossible to tell the difference without reading their ring numbers!

As it’s worked out, we have a male and female in each aviary.  The chicks weighed between 3  and 4.5kg on arrival.  We made sure all the chicks ate some fresh fish before letting them get used to their new surroundings.

Vet Alistair Lawrie checking the chick on arrival (photo by heather Richards) 

Since arriving one of the older chicks was found to be suffering for a respiratory fungal infection and spent a few days at the vets being treated.  This may have been something she picked up in the nest. She is now back at the aviaries with the other chicks and seems to have made a good recovery. Despite being ill, she still managed to gain 1.2kg in weight during her first week in captivity! All of the birds are eating well (about a kilo of food per day!) and enjoying a fine Scottish diet of fish (supplied by M&M Spinks and Fish in Crieff), venison (supplied by Highland Game) and grey squirrel (from the Aberdeenshire grey squirrel cull).  The chicks are growing up fast and are now using their talons to tear up their food.  A couple of the chicks are already starting to test their wings, jumping up and down on the platform whilst flapping their wings with great enthusiasm! It won’t be long until they’re ready to go.... 

The new home (photo by Heather Richards)