A golden eagle was found dead in Southern Scotland on Saturday, according to a report in the BBC. The bird was believed to be a part of a project to boost numbers. It was spotted on the ground by the gamekeeping team on the Queensberry Estate north of Dumfries. The police have launched an investigation to find out the cause of the eagle's death. According to Forestry and Land website of Scotland, it holds almost all the UK's population of these magnificent birds.
The dead bird is understood to be part of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP), the BBC report further said.
Buccleuch, which runs the Queensberry Estate, said the bird had no obvious signs of injury and that they are carrying out tests to determine the cause of death.
"Buccleuch work closely with the SSGEP in the local area and we are extremely proud of our record in recent years of helping rebuild the population," Benny Higgins, executive chairman of Buccleuch, told the BBC.
"The bird was removed from the site on Saturday and is being tested to understand the cause of death. Our team will continue to offer any assistance it can on this matter," the official added.
Golden eagles build their nests in remote, inaccessible places and are very sensitive to disturbance, the Scotland government website said. They mate for life, with birds controlling territories where they might have two or three nest sites called eyries and several places to roost at night, it added.
Male and female birds work together to build the nest, using branches, twigs and heather, and lining it with grass and rushes.
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