THE RSPB has encouraged Scots to “look to the skies” and report sightings of a white-tailed eagle that made a “miracle” recovery after falling from its nest, breaking his left wing.
The chick's parents left experts shocked after they spent a year caring for the injured chick after it was knocked out of their nest during a spell of rough weather in the Isle of Mull in 2023.
According to the RSPB, white-tailed eagle chicks would usually leave their parents' nest in autumn, but the chick's injury meant it was unable to fly for several weeks, leaving it stuck behind in its parents' care even after its siblings had already flown the nest.
The chick was nicknamed “Kinky” by the local community due to the visible kink left on its wing after the fall. This injury caused his flight to be wobbly, sparking fears that he may never be able to hunt independently.
RSPB ambassador Dave Sexton alleviated these fears, saying that the “miracle chick” will likely be able to live off deer, seal and bird carcasses even if he is unable to hunt.
He said: “We were all speechless when we heard and then saw Kinky still being cared for by mum and dad over a year after he should have started fending for himself.
“The local crew of Mull Charters boat trips kept an eye on him for me all summer and we last saw him in the late autumn.
“As the boat trips start up again soon and visitors arrive in Mull and the west coast, I’m really hoping someone spots him. His flight profile is unmistakable with that big kink in his left wing.
“It would be fantastic to hear that he’s alive and well and hopefully not still being the stay-at-home teenager!”
The RSPB said: “Kinky could have flown almost anywhere in Scotland, though it’s thought that due to his injury he may have stayed in Mull or the nearby mainland.”
Anyone who spots Kinky is being asked to contact Sexton at david.sexton@rspb.org.uk, via X @skyeandfrisa or tag RSPB Scotland on social media.
