News

Glenlivet Estate Installs Eagle ‘des-Res’ To Attract Iconic Birds

10 December 2009

A bespoke nesting platform has been built on the Glenlivet Estate in a bid to attract more breeding pairs of golden eagles to make it their home.

The project was undertaken by North-East Scotland RaptorWatch, a partnership involving RSPB Scotland, Grampian Police, Scottish Natural Heritage and Cairngorms National Park Authority. The Glenlivet Estate is one of 22 working with RaptorWatch to try and improve breeding numbers of golden eagles, peregrines and hen harriers in Scotland’s north-east.

“Getting the platform into place took two expert climbers from the RSPB Scotland along with assistance from myself and the RaptorWatch project officer,” said Glenlivet Estate countryside manager Vicky Hilton “The platform sits high in a larch tree in a secret location on the Glenlivet Estate where RaptorWatch will continue to monitor it. If it is successful in attracting golden eagles to nest there might be future opportunity to add a webcam to the setup as long as it does not compromise the birds’ safety.”

The Glenlivet Estate sits within the Cairngorm National Park and benefits from a rich and diverse environment. It is already popular with bird watchers and the golden eagle is frequently spotted within its borders.

Jim Craib, Project Officer, North East Scotland RaptorWatch said platforms such as the one installed at Glenlivet have been used successfully in other areas of Scotland where more commonly used nest sites such as cliffs are lacking.

“I am delighted to be working with the Crown Estate in an attempt to increase the breeding numbers of this iconic bird,” Jim Craib said.
North-East Scotland RaptorWatch was set up in 2006 to try to increase the breeding numbers and nest success of declining populations of golden eagles, hen harriers and peregrines in north-east Scotland. The main objective of the project is to try to increase the breeding numbers and nest success of these raptors through increased communication and cooperation between the main partners and estate owners, estate managers and gamekeepers.

The project was initially set up in 2006 for three years but has now been extended to 2012. The Glenlivet Estate was one of the first estates to work with the project.

ends

Notes to editors:

The Crown Estate
• On behalf of the nation, The Crown Estate manages a highly diverse £6 billion property portfolio across the UK.  The value of its holdings in Scotland is £237 million.
• Its objectives, which are laid down by Parliament under The Crown Estate Act 1961, include enhancing the value of the estate and the revenue it produces.
• Every year The Crown Estate pays all of its surplus revenue to the UK Treasury for the benefit of all UK taxpayers: in 2008/09 this was £226.5 million. £15.5 million of this came from Scotland.
• Core values of commercialism, integrity and stewardship, guide and inform all The Crown Estate business activities.
• The Crown Estate is committed to working in partnership with the Scottish Government and members of the Scottish Parliament, local authorities and a wide range of other stakeholders to safeguard the long term interests of the environment and the communities with which we work.
• In Scotland, The Crown Estate includes:

• The marine estate consists of over half the foreshore and the seabed out to the 12 nautical mile territorial limit. The Crown Estate has the right to explore and utilise the resources of the UK continental shelf (excluding oil, gas and coal), including the right to license renewable energy in the form of offshore wind, wave and tidal power. We are working with our partners to ensure that Scotland is well placed to take advantage of the benefits that renewables will bring through employment and by reducing carbon emissions.
• The rural estate in Scotland comprises 43,000 hectares and includes the Glenlivet, Fochabers, Applegirth, Stirling and Whitehill estates. It includes 185 agricultural tenancies and 102 residential properties.
• The urban estate includes retail property in Edinburgh

The Crown Estate in Scotland is managed from its Edinburgh Office at 6 Bells Brae Edinburgh EH4 3BJ.

The Glenlivet Estate:
• The Crown Estate acquired the Glenlivet estate in 1937. Around 23,000 ha (58,000 ac) in size, it comprises over 30 let farms, 3,500 ha (8,500 ac) of commercial forests and a sporting tenancy including grouse moors, salmon fishing and deer stalking. Within Glenlivet, The Crown Estate has encouraged sustainable economic development, backed up by significant re-investment, a policy that has won the estate several major awards. Facilities and services for visitors are continually being developed and it is the policy of The Crown Estate to encourage new enterprises and activities, which are in keeping with the area’s traditional land uses. http://www.glenlivetestate.co.uk/
Golden Eagles
• The Golden Eagle population in the UK (almost entirely in Scotland) is relatively stable at between 420 – 450 pairs but numbers have declined within the east Highlands in recent years.
• The Golden Eagle population in north-east Scotland has been fairly stable since 1944 at around 17 pairs occupying territories with usually a further three singles occupying vacant territories. Of the 17 pairs only 10-15 of these lay eggs in any year and usually only around 10-12 pairs regularly rear young.
• Several constraints on the expansion of the Golden Eagle have been identified including persecution and disturbance, afforestation of hunting habitat and reduction of prey species such as grouse and hares caused by overgrazing of their habitat by high numbers of red deer and sheep.
• While there is little that can be done realistically to provide artificial cliff nest sites for golden eagles, where no natural ones occur, artificial nest platforms built in suitable trees in eagle habitat have been found to be relatively successful in attracting breeding eagles not only in Scotland but also in other countries such as Hungary. Artificial nest platforms have been used to attract breeding eagles to single trees and clumps of trees with equal success.