Raptor Monitoring Volunteer

Volunteer Role Description

Rum National Nature Reserve (NNR) Raptor Monitoring Volunteer

What’s involved

We are looking for a residential volunteer to assist us with monitoring breeding success of Golden eagles and White-tailed eagles on Rum National Nature Reserve. Your role will involve observing eagle territories and recording breeding attempts and outcomes. This role has an element of lone working and will involve walking long distances over rough terrain combined with several hours of sitting at observation points in remote areas.

Alongside eagle monitoring, this volunteering role involves assisting with other main tasks on Rum NNR where you will work as part of a team, including:

• Removal of non-native species including Cotoneaster and Rhododendron
• Seabird monitoring (red-throated diver and Manx shearwater)
• Feral goat counts
• Path maintenance
• Visitor management and engagement
• General estate maintenance tasks

This role involves working outdoors in all weather conditions.

Where?

Rum National Nature Reserve, one of the Small Isles on the west coast of Scotland. Shared accommodation is provided.

When?

2nd Feb 2026 – 31st July 2026

4 days per week with a flexible approach to days that tasks are carried out, including some weekends.

Who with?

You will volunteer alongside 3 other volunteers and a team of 4 NNR staff for most tasks. Eagle monitoring will be alongside an experienced long-term volunteer initially and then mostly lone working.

What will the experience provide?

This is an excellent chance to gain work experience and develop new skills, which can be an important route into future employment in conservation. Volunteering here will give you the chance to get involved at this wonderful site, helping to manage it for nature and the public.

We’ll provide you with training and ongoing support from our NNR team. Appropriate protective clothing and equipment will also be provided when carrying out practical tasks.

The skills you need

You will need to be at least 18 years old. You will have good bird of prey identification skills and an understanding of eagle breeding cycles and species-specific behaviours. You will have experience of fieldwork and data collection and being in the Scottish hills.

You'll be personable, approachable, enthusiastic and a good communicator. You need to be a good teamworker, be physically fit and have a responsible attitude to health and safety, complying with procedures designed to keep you and others safe. You’ll be willing to work outdoors in all weathers, keen to learn and adaptable.

More information

The best source of information on the NNR is the Reserve Story – www.nature.scot/doc/rum-nnr-management-planning-documents. There is more general information about Rum at www.isleofrum.com