When a young White-tailed Eagle fell from his nest during a storm on Mull, few believed he would survive, but two years later, he’s back in the skies, proving them all wrong.
Affectionately known as ‘Kinky’ for the kink in his damaged wing, the bird’s dramatic return has brought joy to conservationists, locals and wildlife lovers alike.
In July 2023, the young male chick broke his wing in a fall during fierce weather, while still in the nest with his sibling.
While his uninjured brother took flight that autumn as expected, Kinky remained grounded, injured, grounded and dependent.
But in a turn of events never before documented in this species, his parents continued to feed and care for him on the ground for over a year.
It was a gesture of devotion that stunned even seasoned experts, revealing a compassionate side to these iconic raptors that no one had seen before.
This spring, when the parents were spotted breeding again without Kinky nearby, many assumed the worst.
But then, on 1 July, Blair Ketteringham, a crew member aboard the Lady Jayne wildlife boat, looked up over the island of Forsa and spotted a familiar silhouette circling in the sky.
There, soaring over Loch na Keal, was an immature sea eagle and the distinctive twist in his wing was unmistakable.
Blair snapped a photo and sent it straight to RSPB’s Dave Sexton, whose response was immediate and amazed:
“He lives!”
Sexton, who had just sat down with a cup of tea, admitted he nearly spilled the lot when he saw the message.
He had not expected Kinky to survive the winter alone, given the severity of the injury and the bird’s wobbly flight.
And yet, there he was flying high, landing confidently, and even interacting with another adult eagle on the shore.
“For most sea eagles, a broken wing would mean certain death,” Sexton said, “but Kinky is a shining example of what resilience, instinct and a bit of help from mum and dad can achieve.”
Now aged two, Kinky is entering a critical stage of his life, still young, but with a shot at full independence and possibly even breeding in the years ahead.
His reappearance couldn’t be more timely, as this year marks 50 years since White-tailed Eagles were reintroduced to Scotland after being hunted to extinction in 1918.
Thanks to efforts led by NatureScot and supported by Norway, there are now around 200 breeding pairs across the UK, with Mull remaining one of the species’ most important strongholds.
Earlier this year, the country bid farewell to its oldest known White-tailed Eagle, Frisa, who died aged 32, but the return of Kinky offers a fresh note of hope.
He is a symbol of strength and survival, a bird that should not be here, and yet is flying free over Mull as if to say, not just yet.
