Post-mortem reveals cause of Golden Eagle's death
Last updated 15th Jun 2026
A golden eagle that was part of a pioneering reintroduction programme in southern Scotland has died after what experts believe was an attack by another bird.
The four-year-old, named ‘Percy’, was found seriously injured by gamekeepers on an estate in the Scottish Borders on April 1st.
Restoring Upland Nature, the charity behind the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, says a post-mortem examination by Scotland's Rural College found the bird suffered skull fractures and other injuries consistent with an attack by another golden eagle.
Satellite tracking data showed Percy - who was named by the Duke of Northumberland - had flown close to an active eagle nest on the morning of March 28th before being chased from the area.
Conservationists say the evidence points to a territorial dispute involving breeding eagles defending their nest, with no suspicious circumstances surrounding the bird's death.
Speaking about the incident, Dr Cat Barlow, CEO of RUN, said: “We’re very sad to confirm Percy’s death. In natural golden eagle populations, territorial breeding eagles will attack and kill intruding sub-adults. This is what evidently happened here.
“We’re so grateful to SRUC, and to the gamekeepers who did what they could as soon as they found Percy injured. We immediately responded to the alert, but on this occasion Percy’s injuries were severe, and he died before we arrived."
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Percy had been translocated from the Isle of Lewis and released in the south of Scotland in 2023 as part of efforts to restore the region's golden eagle population.
The charity says it's the third time during the lifetime of the project that the same established pair of eagles is thought to have killed younger birds that ventured too close to their eyrie.
Despite the loss, more than 50 golden eagles are now thought to be thriving across southern Scotland – the highest number recorded in the area for around 300 years.
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Mark Ewart, Regional Co-ordinator of the Southern Uplands Moorland Group, added: “We frequently spot golden eagles soaring across our region. It is rewarding to know our sector has played a key role in supporting this.
“Providing the right habitats for golden eagles and other species to thrive is an important part of what gamekeepers do on a day-to-day basis, as well as reporting sightings and the three territorial eagle attacks thought to have occurred during the project’s lifetime.
“We remain committed to preserving Scotland’s landscape and important moorland habitats for generations to come.”
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