School children get interactive with sea eagles

Last modified: 08 June 2012

Young white-tailed eagle chick — The life of white-tailed eagles is the theme of the exhibition

Image: The RSPB

Children from Portree primary school on the Isle of Skye have been among the first visitors to try out new technology at the RSPB sea eagle exhibition at the Aros Centre in Portree. The new touch-screen kiosks allow visitors to learn more about the lives of sea eagles through quizzes, games and video-clips.

Chris Tyler, RSPB information officer at the exhibition, said: “We are always keen to try new ways of communicating with visitors to Skye about these magnificent birds. As well as the screens we have developed some new leaflets on the best places to see eagles in Skye and Wester Ross and some special guides which help birdwatchers to tell apart golden eagles, sea eagles and buzzards. These are proving very popular!”

Also on hand for the visit to the Aros Centre were RSPB field teacher Sarah Stephenson, who has been assisting the children with their sea eagle project, and RSPB conservation officer Dr Alison MacLennan.

Dr MacLennan said: “These developments form part of the SEEVIEWS project which seeks to increase understanding of sea eagles among local people and visitors alike. The project would not have been possible without the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Highland Leader for which I am very grateful. Later in the year we plan to premiere a new film about the sea eagles of Skye at the auditorium in the Aros Centre. Hopefully this will add further to the experience visitors gain who come to the sea eagle exhibition.”

Donald MacDonald, managing director of the Aros Centre, said “ We are delighted to see these developments at the sea eagle exhibition. We have had a long and fruitful association with the RSPB and are very pleased to see the visitor experience being enhanced by this continued investment in the exhibition.”