Hens culled after bird flu strain found on Scottish farm

The Scottish government has ordered a cull of tens of thousands of hens after a mild strain of H5N1, or bird flu, was identified on a farm in Fife, it said on Wednesday.

"Laboratory tests have identified a very mild strain of the H5N1 virus and a humane cull of almost 40,000 birds has now begun," a statement said.

It added that the flu was "quite distinct" from the pathological strain which has caused several hundred human deaths in other parts of the world [nL8N14U06P].

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Reintroduced white-tailed eagle pair raise chick

Scotland's largest bird of prey, the white-tailed eagle, has bred in the east of the country for the first time in almost 200 years.

BBC Scotland has learned a pair of the birds have raised a male chick, after nesting at a secret location in Fife.

The country's last native white-tailed eagle was shot in Shetland in 1918.

The species only returned to the UK following a reintroduction project in the west of Scotland, which began on the Isle of Rum in 1975.

Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse welcomed the news.

"I hope this will be the first of many of this magnificent species, which will eventually spread their territories right across Scotland," he said.

"I'd like to thank all the partners who have played their part in making this exciting and special event happen."

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