Watch White-tailed Eagles Nesting in North Uist
Filmed under licence from NatureScot
Follow the 2026 nesting season
Nest activity has been observed in early March 2026 — meaning egg laying, incubation and, if all goes well, a hatched chick could all unfold over the coming weeks.
White-tailed eagles are the largest bird of prey in the UK and one of Scotland’s great conservation success stories, reintroduced after becoming extinct in the early 20th century. We have a resident breeding pair nesting within the forest at Uist Forest Retreat.
Why North Uist is one of the best places in Scotland to see white-tailed eagles
The Outer Hebrides has one of the highest densities of white-tailed eagles in the UK. From the lodges at Uist Forest Retreat on North Uist, sightings of the resident pair are a regular occurrence — whether soaring over the forest, hunting along the coastline, or returning to the nest. The retreat sits beside the RSPB Outer Hebrides Bird of Prey Trail, where all of the Outer Hebrides’ breeding raptor species can potentially be seen.
A licensed white-tailed eagle nest camera
The 2019 breeding season provided the first in-depth, extended study of white-tailed eagle diet and parental behaviour at the nest. Filming is carried out under licence from NatureScot, and we are incredibly privileged to have been granted that permission to observe these magnificent birds in their territory that surrounds Uist Forest Retreat.
White-Tailed Eagle Behaviour and Diet — What the Research Shows
A 2020 MSc study from Edinburgh Napier University analysed 2019 nest camera footage from their nest here in North Uist, to better understand white-tailed eagle behaviour and diet.
During the breeding season:
- 106 prey deliveries were recorded
- Birds made up 60% of the chick’s diet
- Greylag geese, ducks and gulls were common prey
- The female led nest care, while the male delivered most of the food
The research shows that this pair of North Uist sea eagles primarily relied on wild prey species during the breeding season. Despite being in a crofting landscape, no livestock were recorded as being delivered to the nest during the period studied. Read more: What we learned from watching 18 Weeks of White-Tailed Eagle Life on North Uist and
Sea eagles eat geese — could they be a crofter’s friend?
Our thanks for supporting this project to Jamie Boyle, Sea Eagle Management Team (formerly RSPB Reserves Manager); Robin Reid, Uist Raptor Study Group and independent ecologist; and Andrew Kent, NatureScot, Sea Eagle Management; Daniel Festorazzi, MSc Edinburgh Napier University; Mani Gurung, Axis Communications
We also pay special tribute to the late John Love, who played a pivotal role in the reintroduction of white-tailed eagles from Norway in 1975. We were privileged to have his support in developing this research. John sadly passed away in 2024 and is fondly remembered for his dedication to the species’ recovery in the UK, in addition to being a valued member of the community in Uist.
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