Mar'verick the white-tailed eagle's travels around Scotland are revealed
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The epic three-month journey of Mar’verick, the rare white-tailed eagle which hatched at Aberdeenshire’s Mar Lodge Estate before journeying around the Scottish Highlands has been revealed by the National Trust for Scotland and the RSPB.
Born at Aberdeenshire’s Mar Lodge Estate and named after Maverick, the iconic fighter pilot in the film Top Gun, Mar’verick has been closely monitored since birth as part of RSPB Scotland’s East Scotland Sea Eagle introduction project, allowing the National Trust for Scotland and the RSPB to form a map documenting his travels around the country.
Until 2020 white-tailed eagles had not been bred successfully in Deeside, making it even more special to have this rare raptor species nesting at Mar Lodge Estate.
The National Trust for Scotland hopes that not only will this unique tracking data help experts to monitor the growth of Scotland’s white-tailed eagle population – which is an endangered species – but also inspire people to follow the adventures of Mar’verick around Scotland this summer.
Data provided by RSPB Scotland shows the eagle has travelled from Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire up across the north of Scotland and all the way down to the isle of Arran, between January and April 2023.
In just a three-month period, Mar’verick visited over 20 Trust places, including Brodie Castle and Culloden.
Mar’verick’s adventures and visits have inspired the conservation charity to call on the people of the Highlands and Islands to follow his example and support its work to protect, share and enjoy nature, beauty and heritage this summer, by visiting some of the most unique and special places in Scotland.
Across the Highlands and Islands this summer, adults and children alike can experience a range of events, including a Land Rover Safari tour around Glencoe – perfect for the whole family, they’re filled with fun activities for the kids and insightful stories for the grown-ups; or a one-hour wildlife cruise, running from the jetty at Inverewe Garden and sailing around the shores of Loch Ewe throughout the summer months.
Clea Warner, Regional Director for the Highlands and Islands at the National Trust for Scotland, said:" It is our charity’s privilege to share Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage with everyone, and we are very grateful to all of our supporters who make this possible.
“Over the coming months, we have some exciting projects coming to fruition which will give our supporters even more experiences to share this summer. Mar’verick has proven himself to be the Trust’s number one adventurer, visiting over 20 places since the beginning of this year. Through the careful conservation work the Trust is doing across Scotland to restore natural habitats and create the right environments for wildlife to flourish, the charity’s places are home to a wide range of thriving wildlife and continue to welcome new species, such as hen harriers and white-tailed eagles.
"Throughout the summer months our specialists will be out and about monitoring wildlife at our places and making sure our habitats are as welcoming as possible, to encourage more wonders like Mar’verick to call them home.”
