Latest golden eagle 'fledglings’ named by Sam Heughan and Dame Judi Dench

Southern Scotland’s golden eagle recovery reached a new milestone this summer, as four young eagles directly descended from birds translocated through our South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, hatched in nests across the area and took their first flights as ‘fledglings’ (young birds that have grown their wings and learned to fly). This brings the total number of golden eagles successfully fledged in southern Scotland this year to five.

The achievement is being celebrated as a ‘triumph over adversity’ worthy of the big screen, providing further evidence that the region’s population, now restored to record numbers, is showing encouraging signs of becoming self-sustaining. The new arrivals include the brother of Princeling - the first-ever chick to successfully fledge from the nest involving one of the eagles translocated to the region by the project. Princeling was named by Sir David Attenborough.

Celebrating this latest success Academy Award-winning actress and passionate conservationist Dame Judi Dench and Galloway Distillery co-owner and South of Scotland champion Sam Heughan have named two of the latest fledglings, which have successfully left their parents’ nests and beginning to fend for themselves.

Naming the grandchild of a male eagle that is currently recorded as the oldest living golden eagle in Europe, Dame Judi chose the name GoldenEye after the Bond film of the same name, in which she starred as the first female M.

Naming the young bird, Dame Judi Dench said: "I would like to congratulate the charity Restoring Upland Nature and everyone who has supported their pioneering work to restore this iconic species to record numbers in the South of Scotland.  A real triumph over adversity.

"It is an enormous privilege to name a golden eagle that has fledged from the nest of an eagle translocated by the project.  Many years ago, as the first female M, I instructed James Bond to 'find GoldenEye’ and here he is!

"I wish GoldenEye a long life soaring in southern skies and RUN the best of luck in their continued work. I really hope they can now replicate their success south of the border. Seeing golden eagles in the wild is a truly awe-inspiring experience, and it is wonderful to think that even more people will now have the opportunity to witness them soaring freely once again.”

GoldenEye’s dad is Shine who was translocated by the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, and mum Amelia fledged from the only original remaining golden eagle nest in the Scottish Borders in 2021. GoldenEye’s Grandfather fledged from a Galloway nest in 1990 and at the age of 36 is the oldest known living wild golden eagle in Europe. Grandmother Roxy is a 16-year-old bird who fledged from a Galloway nest in 2010 – she carries the oldest working satellite tag in Scotland.

Outlander star Sam Heughan, co-owner of the Galloway Distillery and an ambassador for the South of Scotland, named Princeling’s new brother ‘Sassy’ as a nod to his Sassenach Whisky. Sassy hatched from the nest of Emma, a golden eagle translocated by the project in 2021. He said: “It is a great honour to be invited to name a golden eagle that represents such hope for the future of this magnificent species in the South of Scotland. I’m delighted to know that this magnificent creature might explore the beauty of my hometown and surrounding area, I hope it may even fly over The Galloway Distillery. 

“There’s something incredibly moving about seeing a native golden eagle soaring over the landscape and it was truly moving to meet one recently up close. It reminds you just how wild, beautiful and special these birds are and how they belong in southern Scotland.

“I’d like to congratulate Restoring Upland Nature, and all their supporters, on their continued success. Knowing these young birds are once again taking to the skies thanks to the dedication of communities here is truly inspiring and I cannot wait to see them in the wild.”

Explaining the significance of today’s news, Dr Cat Barlow, CEO of RUN said: “Seeing not just one, but four young birds hatch, fledge and fly freely from the nests of golden eagles that we translocated to southern Scotland is a hugely significant milestone in our work to restore the species to southern skies.

"It shows that where there are healthy ecosystems and the risk of interference is low, translocated eagles can successfully integrate into native populations to breed successfully. It gives us genuine hope that we can help reverse biodiversity decline and ensure current and future generations across Scotland, England and Wales experience that incredible sense of awe when they see a golden eagle.

"We are thrilled that Dame Judi Dench and Sam Heughan accepted our invite to name chicks. They are both wonderful champions for golden eagles – Dame Judi through her role as a wildlife ambassador, and Sam through his fantastic support of the communities which play such an important part in the project's success across southern Scotland."

RUN Chair, Michael Clarke added: “We thank Dame Judi Dench, Sam Heughan, and all our partners and supporters, for helping us mark this exciting milestone.

“The significance of this success goes far beyond the record numbers of golden eagles now soaring in southern skies - individuals from all walks of life, including many who live and work in the landscapes they share with golden eagles such as game keepers, farmers and forestry workers, have responded positively to the project and played an important part in its success.

“With support from our partners, including Forestry England and Defra, we are now laying the foundations to build on and extend our groundbreaking work so that other parts of the UK benefit from the return of golden eagles.”

About the fledglings descendant from birds translocated by SSGEP

GoldenEye (the golden eagle named by Dame Judi Dench):

• Mum: Amelia who fledged from the only original remaining golden eagle nest in the Scottish Borders 2021. Amelia was the first chick from that established Scottish Borders pair to have settled and bred successfully.

• Dad: Shine, who was translocated in 2021.

• Grandfather: fledged from a Galloway nest in 1990 and at the age of 36 is the oldest known living wild golden eagle in Europe.

• Grandmother: Roxy is a 16-year-old bird who fledged from a Galloway nest in 2010 – she carries the oldest working satellite tag in Scotland.

Sassy (the golden eagle named by actor Sam Heughan):

• Fledged from a nest near Moffat.

• Mum: Emma was translocated by the project in 2021 and named in honour of the late Engender CEO Emma Ritch.

• Dad Keith: a local bird that hatched in Galloway in 2018.

• Brother: Princeling - the first bird to fledge from the nest of one of the translocated golden eagles in 2025. He was named by Sir David Attenborough.

  
  

Beaky Jr (currently unnamed):

• First chick to fledge from the nest of a translocated eagle on managed grouse moor in the southern uplands.

• Beaky Jr will be named at a later date by the game keepers on the moor who have played a vital role in supporting the project.

• Mum Beaky (who was translocated by the project in 2018 from Jahama Estate in the Scottish Highlands).

• Dad: Skan (who was translocated in 2019).

N47 (currently unnamed):

• Mother, ‘Dora’ translocated from managed grouse moor in Perthshire hills in 2022. Named by St Dominics Primary School near Crieff, working with the Central and Tayside Moorland Group.

• Biological father Talla translocated from Ardverikie Estate in the central Highlands

• Adoptive father: Hamlet translocated from the Outer Hebrides in 2023.

• Currently in the care of a Scottish SPCA hospital after contracting an incredibly rare bacterial infection. The team are hoping he can recover, so they can re-release him again.

The new arrivals have now been satellite-tagged by licensed experts with support from RUN, local Scottish Raptor Study Group members, landowners and land managers. RUN continues to monitor their progress closely.

The fifth fledgling (currently unnamed)

The fifth arrival this year fledged from the nest of an established local breeding pair (golden eagles that hatched in the region and continue to live and breed in the south of Scotland, rather than eagles translocated to the region).

Key facts about the South of Scotland golden eagle population

• Population: Through their work on the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, RUN has restored the previously fragile population of golden eagles in southern Scotland to over 50 individual birds – the highest number of golden eagles seen in the area for three centuries.

• Survival rate: Around 80% of the golden eagles translocated through the project are still alive and thriving in southern Scotland, representing a high survival rate.

• Range expansion: Golden eagles now occupy 18 active ranges (areas the birds have made their home) across the south of Scotland, compared to three nesting pairs when the project first started.

• Cross Border movement: Some of the birds have generated great excitement when they have been spotted in northern England in recent years. Satellite tag data shows over 25 translocated birds have flown south of the Scotland-England Border at least once between 2020 and 2026, with some staying in the area for up to six weeks before returning to the South of Scotland.