Three golden eagle chicks were fitted with satellite tags in the north-east of the National Park last summer, as part of an ongoing project to understand juvenile bird behaviour and how they use and respond to the environment around them.  

Information taken from satellite tags feeds into a national data set, adding to the sample size and contributing to understanding of golden eagles in Scotland. It also gives raptor study groups and conservationists an insight into the eagles’ movements.

A tag on one of the birds, which had been fully charged, stopped connecting and sending locations in mid-November.  

The Park Authority reported the issue to Police Scotland immediately, who launched an investigation and analysed data from the tag. Officers have since conducted several searches, but neither the bird nor the tag have been found and their status remains unknown. 

These are iconic, precious birds which we are committed to protecting through our work with partners and estates across the National Park. There are only around 500 pairs of golden eagles in the UK, with the Cairngorms mountain range designated an area of European importance for the species. 

The Park Authority will continue to update on the other tagged birds and any further information regarding the missing bird and tag. 

For more information on our raptor conservation work, visit our dedicated page.