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Habitats: ‘Miracle’ White-Tailed Eagle Returns to Skies Over Mull After Beating the Odds​

23 July 2025
By James Hamilton
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Kinky in flight. Credit: Blair Ketterringham

A White-tailed Eagle nicknamed “Kinky,” nursed back to health by its parents after a severe wing injury, has been spotted flying once again over the Isle of Mull. The sighting comes months after RSPB Scotland appealed to the public for help locating the young bird.

In 2024, experts were amazed when a pair of White-tailed Eagles on Mull continued to care for their injured chick for over a year, showing an extraordinary level of parental care never previously recorded in this species.

The male chick, later named ‘Kinky’ because of the distinct bend in his wing, fell from his nest in July 2023 during stormy weather, suffering a serious break to his left wing. While his sibling fledged in autumn as expected, Kinky remained grounded, relying on his devoted parents for daily food. Weeks later, he finally managed to take flight, though with a noticeable wobble.

In an even more surprising twist, Kinky was spotted again the following breeding season at a new nest site, still being fed by his parents. Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland’s White-tailed Eagle Officer, called him the “miracle chick,” pointing to an unexpectedly compassionate side of the species.

Despite his recovery, there were concerns that Kinky might not survive on his own. His impaired flight could affect his ability to hunt and fend for himself. When he disappeared in autumn 2024 and his parents resumed breeding the next spring without him, many feared he had not made it through the winter.

In April, RSPB Scotland issued a public appeal, asking locals to report any sightings of a young eagle with a bent wing. Then, on July 1, Blair Ketteringham, a crew member of the Mull Charters boat Lady Jayne, spotted an immature White-tailed Eagle soaring over Forsa in Loch na Keal. He noticed the telltale wing shape, snapped some photos, and sent them to Dave Sexton with a simple message: “He lives!”

Sexton recalls, “It was 2 p.m. when I got the WhatsApp message. I was having a cup of tea and nearly spilled it when I saw the photo. Honestly, I didn’t think he could survive the winter without his parents. But there he was, soaring above Eorsa like any other eagle. He even interacted briefly with an adult sea eagle. His survival shows just how resilient he is, and how remarkable his parents were in helping him get through that first year.”

He added, “For most birds of prey, a broken wing is a death sentence. But Kinky beat the odds. At two years old, who knows what the future holds, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets stronger with time. He’s a real survivor. What a bird.”

White-tailed Eagles are the UK’s largest bird of prey, often called “flying barn doors” because of their massive 8-foot wingspan. Once extinct in the UK due to persecution, they have been successfully reintroduced and are now thriving, especially in Scotland where they are often seen along rocky coastlines and sea lochs.

The UK population has grown to around 200 breeding pairs, with the birds spreading east and north, including into the Cairngorms. Mull remains one of the best places to spot them, along with Skye, Islay, and the Outer Hebrides. In England, RSPB Arne and the Isle of Wight also offer good opportunities to see them in the wild.

These majestic birds are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, making Kinky’s story one of the most inspiring examples of conservation success in recent years.
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