Golden eagle escapes from falconry enclosure

A golden eagle has escaped its enclosure from Magheramorne in County Antrim.

Its owners said the four-year-old male bird, called Loki, escaped his enclosure on Wednesday morning due to storm damage.

Hawk Walks Falconry Experiences NI in Ballyclare have asked members of the public to keep an eye to the sky to help locate Loki.

In a statement to BBC News NI, they said the bird had been spotted a few times since his escape, but remained at large.

"We are extremely worried about his safety and well-being," the company said.

"In the wild, Loki may face numerous challenges, including finding food and avoiding potential threats," the statement continued.

"Loki is a captive-bred eagle, raised and cared for in our facility. He is accustomed to human interaction and the safety of his home environment."

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme, Hawk Walks owner David Trenier said the roof of Loki's usual enclosure was ripped off in storm Darragh.

Loki was then put in a temporary enclosure, which was built for a hawk rather than an eagle, and he was able to break free.

Mr Trenier has had Loki for nearly three years.

"As a family our hearts are broken, we don't see our birds as just work objects – they are part of our family," he said.

"We spend every day with these birds, we create that bond. They're not pets but they are bonded to you as much as you are bonded to them and we're all heart-broken here."

Hawk Walks Falconry Experiences NI have urged people not to approach or attempt to capture Loki, but instead to note his location and contact the business.

Mr Trenier said their only concrete sighting of Loki has been over Blue Circle Cruising & Sailing Club in Magheramorne.

He added that people often confused golden eagles with buzzards.

"There's a saying between falconers - if you think you've seen an eagle, you haven't. You'll know when you see one - they're huge," Mr Trenier said.

He added that Loki would be wearing two long leather jesses about 16in long from his legs.

Golden eagles were reintroduced to Ireland about two decades ago, having been driven to extinction on the island.

In 2018, the first chick was hatched in the wild for the first time in about 100 years.

While a pair of golden eagles nested in County Antrim in the late 1950s, none are currently known to be nesting in Northern Ireland.