SCOTTISH SEA eagles could be cut in half by wind turbine blades, the RSPB fears, after birds in Norway suffered the same fate.

The organisation commented after it was discovered wind turbines have caused the deaths of four huge birds of prey on isolated islands off the Norwegian coast.

The discovery of the dead white-tailed eagles, and the failure of almost 30 others to return to nesting sites within the wind farm area, have increased fears wind farms in Britain could take a similar toll on native and migrating wild birds.

The white-tailed eagle, Europe’s largest eagle species, is found in significant numbers on Smola, about six miles off the north-west Norwegian coast.

The island has one of the highest breeding densities of the bird in the world.

White-tailed eagles are also beginning to thrive in the Western Isles following a 30-year reintroduction project; but developers also regard the area as ripe for wind farm construction, and a plan has been lodged for Britain’s largest wind farm.

Dr Mark Avery of the RSPB said, “These findings are shocking yet may only be the tip of the iceberg.

“Research on Smola is being stepped up and if more dead birds are found, and even fewer are able to breed, we will be doubly determined to fight wind farm plans that could cause similar destruction in the UK.”

The four dead birds were found between August and December.

Two had been sliced in half, apparently by a turbine blade.

The 68-turbine Smola wind farm was built between 2001 and 2005 after the Norwegian government ignored advice based on an environmental assessment, which warned against the development because of the danger it posed to the eagles.

Research by the RSPB, the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and the Norwegian Sea Eagle Project will now be stepped up to include regular checks for casualties throughout the wind park and monitoring of this spring’s breeding activity.

Arne Follestad, a research scientist at NINA said, “Breeding results on Smola have been strikingly poor.”

The RSPB strongly supports wind and other renewable energies to help tackle climate change, but the interim research results have underlined dangers.

Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, said, “The news from Norway is of great concern to us.

“If white-tailed eagles have died because of wind turbine collisions, there are major implications for our own eagle populations here in Scotland.”