Elite Falconry is holding an open weekend this Saturday and Sunday to raise money to buy a bigger aviary for their most famous bird, Methuselah the golden eagle.

Methuselah was captured illegally at the age of four and has spent most of her life in captivity. As a result, the muscles in her wings atrophied leaving her unable to fly.

When her original owners were prosecuted, she was transferred to a centre in Yorkshire where breeders tried unsuccessfully to breed her using artificial insemination.

Last year, at the age of 33, she was brought to Elite Falconry, just outside Cluny, where she has been undergoing training to improve her fitness and teach her to fly again.

The training seems to be paying off, as earlier this year she took her first flight in the wild.

Head falconer Barry Blyther said: "What we can't get away from is this long period of inactivity. When she first came here we had two perches 10 feet apart, and told her to fly between them. She only made it seven feet. Now she flies about 70 yards at a time, several times a day.

"There is a tremendous difference.

The bird is completely transformed.

"She's a great example of the species and a joy to be around.

Although she has made great progress since she arrived at Elite Falconry, there is still a long way to go.

Mr Blyther added: "Her situation in human terms is the equivalent of taking a middleweight boxer, plonking him on a sofa and feeding him nothing but meat for 28 years - then getting him up and telling him he has to have a go at the world championship title.

"We know that we can never get her to 100 per cent of her full potential, but if we can get her to 75 per cent, we'll be happy."

Methuselah's proposed aviary will be 30 x 45 feet and will cost between £6000 and £8000, but the additional space will help her to get into peak physical condition.

Mr Blyther said: "We are basically trying to appeal to the public to help build her a nice big aviary. We are trying to let her stretch out her wings.

"We do an open day every year. We don't do it for commercial reasons, but because we get a tremendous amount of public interest. We want to satisfy people's curiosity about what we do here."

The Elite Falconry open day is free of charge but donations will be taken to help build Methuselah's aviary. They are also looking for companies to sponsor its construction.

Golden Eagle facts: Aquila chrysaetos
An adult golden eagle is between 79-88cm, with a wingspan of 190-227cm, weighing 3-6kg. Female golden eagles are larger than males. An adult golden eagle is brown in colour, with a lighter brown on the head. They prefer mountainous habitats, such as the Highlands of Scotland. Golden eagles hunt medium-sized mammals, such as rodents, rabbits, hares and young deer. They also hunt birds such as grouse. They can fly at speeds of 80 mph, although they average around 30 mph. Golden eagles mate for life.