Skip to content

BBC Springwatch presenter Iolo Williams's sorrow at golden eagle death

BBC golden eagleBBC
Presenter Iolo Williams said the eagle was "one of Wales' greatest characters"

Springwatch presenter Iolo Williams has described the death of Wales' last golden eagle as "more than the death of just an eagle".

He tracked the movements of the originally captive bird in the remote valleys of the Cambrian Mountains for his latest series Iolo: The Last Wilderness of Wales.

But the eagle has been found dead by a walker in the Abergwesyn Valley, Powys.

"Wales has lost one of its greatest characters," he said.

The bird was already something of a local celebrity in the area between Tregaron and Llanwrtyd Wells, with a dedicated Facebook fan page detailing sightings and renown among local bird watchers, but often going unseen for months at a time.

Presenter Iolo Williams
The programme tracked the eagle's movements in the remote valleys of the Cambrian Mountains

With a wingspan of up to 2.2 metres (7ft), the formidable creature has been largely extinct from England and Wales since 1850 with the only UK stronghold remaining in Scotland. Talks of the species being reintroduced into Wales are in progress.

On hearing the news of the death of the golden eagle, TV naturalist Iolo said: "The demise of this magnificent bird is more than just the death of an eagle.

"The Tregaron area has lost one of its great characters and Wales has lost a palpable link to its distant past. We are a poorer country without her."

Allow Facebook content?

This article contains content provided by Facebook. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The eagle was collected by a fellow member of Iolo's television crew who has ensured its registration in the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme run by the Welsh Government.

Describing the news as "tragic", Mr Williams said the eagle had become "something of a local celebrity".

the golden eagle in flight
Iolo Williams helped track the eagle's movements in the remote valleys of the Cambrian Mountains

"It was always a joy to catch up with her," he added.

"I remember watching as red kites and buzzards flew over and I thought 'wow those are big birds', and then all of a sudden this huge, seven-foot golden eagle came over.

"It really was quite a magical moment when you first saw her."

While the cause of its death is unknown, Mr Williams said it was "quite an old bird", around 16, and he did not think there was any foul play.

Mr Williams said having a golden eagle in the area brought trade for cafes and hotels, and has "raised the tempo" of discussions around whether they can be reintroduced in Wales.

The eagle can be seen in the final episode of Iolo: The Last Wilderness of Wales on BBC One Wales on Thursday, 27 August, at 19:30 BST or right now on the BBC iPlayer