Birdwatchers wide-eyed as owls fly south to settle in Hebrides
HARRY Potter himself may have trouble explaining the appearance of "Hedwig" lookalikes in the Western Isles.
Observers have been surprised and delighted to see snowy owls, normally found near the Arctic Circle, setting up home in the islands.
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RSPB Scotland staff say they have recently recorded the biggest influx of the birds in the Outer Hebrides since the early 1970s.
It is thought that between three and six of the birds - among the largest owls in Europe, standing almost 2ft tall with a wingspan of over 5ft, were living on the islands throughout last summer.
The species is known to millions of JK Rowling followers who have read about Harry Potter's mail-delivering snowy owl.
It is used to extremely low temperatures and is one of a number of bird species that go through cycles with periodic "irruptions" - a spreading of territory in response to food being more widely available.
It is thought the influx in the Western Isles could be related to an increase in the number of lemmings, the owl's favoured prey, in the Arctic Circle.
Up until 1975, snowy owls bred for a number of years on Fetlar in Shetland. This time nobody has so far seen two owls together, although two were recorded within a few miles of each other over a brief period on North Uist last year.
Jamie Boyle, RSPB Scotland's reserves officer on the Uists, said: "This fantastic species adds to Uist's already incredible wildlife spectacle and makes the islands an area that all birdwatchers must come to.
"Almost all the owls seem to prefer setting up home on the isolated machair areas that are rich in rabbits, their main food item in the absence of lemmings, although some have favoured small islands on tidal strands."
He added: "There is no evidence of them attempting to breed as yet, but this is certainly indicative of them expanding their natural range.
"It would be fantastic to think that one day in the future they might breed in the Outer Hebrides."
In 2003 a snowy owl set up home around Traigh Ear, north of the Balranald nature reserve, and attracted birdwatchers from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness.
Last year there were sightings of the birds in Shetland, Wester Ross and Aberdeenshire
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