SEA eagles have had their most successful breeding year on record, the RSPB said yesterday.
The breeding success of the bird, which in the UK is only found in Scotland, has doubled this year with the highest number of surviving chicks since the species was reintroduced in 1975.
The previous record for the number of young sea eagles to fly the nest in one year was 13 but that record was smashed as 26 chicks have been successfully reared in the wild.
There are now more than 30 territorial pairs in the Scottish population.
Dr Alison MacLennan, RSPB Scotland’s senior conservation officer, said yesterday: “To double the number of young produced in one year is a huge success and very rewarding.
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“Each year the number of territorial pairs has gradually increased but for the last five years the number of young fledged annually has remained between 11 and 13 birds.”
It is thought the success of the birds this year may in part be due to the unusually settled weather in the west of Scotland last winter, which left the adults in a particularly good condition for breeding.
Dr MacLennan added: “Stronger adults produce more viable young, which have a better chance of surviving the most vulnerable stages during incubation and just after hatching.
“Added to that, a number of young territorial pairs have come of an age to breed for the first time and boosted the productive population.”
The breeding success, which has increased the chance of seeing sea eagles, is also expected to bring economic benefits, especially an increase in visitor numbers to both Mull and and Skye, where the opportunities to see the bird are greatest.