A SCOTS-born osprey has died after being electrocuted by power lines in Wales.
The rare bird of prey was born in Dumfries and Galloway and given the pet name Jimmy after his leg tag “CU2”.
Tragically, the three-year-old was found dead at the bottom of an electricity pylon with one of his wings severed.
The accident on Monday cut off power to 20 homes in the village of Pentrefoelas, Conwy, North Wales.
Experts said Jimmy was just coming into his prime and looking for a mate.
It is unusual for ospreys to “emigrate” from the area in which they’re born but Jimmy decided to try and find a nest out of Scotland in Wales.
The death is a serious blow as there are as few as 200 breeding pairs in the UK, most of them in Scotland. There are only four osprey nests in Wales.
Locals say they are “heartbroken” by the news of his death.
“He was found by an electricity worker on Monday, underneath power lines,” explained Emyr Evans, project manager at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust.
“He had burn marks on his beak and one wing had been completely severed from his body.”
He continued: “This guy was only three years of age.
“They don’t start breeding until three or four. He was looking for a nest site. They can live well into their 20s.”
Mr Evans said: “People get really attached to them.
“We called him Jimmy because his leg number is CU2. So it was CU2 Jimmy.”
He explained: “There are four nests in Wales. One has been here for 10 years and the male who was 16 years old didn’t come back from Africa.”
He said Jimmy had shown an interest in the windowed osprey but was “ousted by another male who is still there”.
Speaking about the dangers of power lines Mr Evans said: “Osprey like to perch on pylons. Sometimes things go wrong.”
It is unusual for an osprey to nest in a different county that they are born.
“They usually come back to their place of birth,” said Mr Evans.
“Jimmy was born in Dumfries and Galloway in 2012. He migrated from there in September 2012 down to West Africa.
“He would have stayed there in 2013. In 2014 when he was 18 or 20 months old he would have returned to the UK. When he returned last year he returned to Wales.”
There are only 200-250 pairs of osprey in the UK – most of which can be found in Scotland.
The protected species measure more than 60 cm in length and 180 cm across the wings.
The birds grabbed headlines this year when a pair of nesting osprey threw music festival T in The Park into question.
The news of Jimmy’s death has devastated bird enthusiasts.
On the Glaslyn Wildlife Facebook page Rosalyn Bosanko wrote: “Heartbroken when I read about Jimmy. Hope he is flying high and free.”
Beverley Thornton commented: “I’m very sorry this majestic male was lost.”
Margaret Blakeley added: “It’s a comfort,though very small, that Jimmy must have died instantly.”
