Eagle Owls.

[Renton]

Did anyone see that piece in the Scotland BBC news this evening?

People releasing Eagle Owls into the wild?? How many and where? I know of a pair in the Pentland Hills.

Does anyone know more?

[Boobook]

hi. we heard about some down south but came across this on the internet. not sure if it's what you mean?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4206031.stm

[Renton]

Thanks. Presumably they were a bit short of real news and just stuck in another 'scare' story. Was working outside all day and the sky did not seem to be filled with savage eagle owls seeking out domestic pets!

[Jester]

yeah and notice the headline they have for the story "killer owls which attack dogs and deer"

when i had Jester out for a while tonight someone who had seen the story online asked if he was one of them "killer owls everybody is going on about"

was sorely tempted to say yeah he sure is .................. fancy a bit of venison?? :lol: but settled instead for pointing out the carbon fibre knuckle guards on my bike glove (still having to use my right hand and too tight/skint to get a right hand falconry glove just for the couple months it should take to get frozen shoulder fixed) and left it to their imagination

[Varmint]

BBC Scotland came up to interview me on that piece, and filmed KT one of my owls.

For the record, i said that most of the birds were not intentionally released but escaped domestic birds, they have existed as A pex predators thru out Northern Europe for 20,000 yrs or more and that there has never been a recorded instance of a wild bird attacking any human, although they have been known to predate on cats? (Not such a bad thing!)

You have to be very careful dealing with the media cause they are always looking for an angle to sensationalise?

RSPB looking to up their profile again!

Wait while were talking about wild populations of HH in the UK, its only gonna be a matter of time?

[Bubo]

what is worrying is that they mention 'if one sights and eagle owl it should be reported to the police" then what???? what are they going to do about it? It really annoys me when the media or anyone takes things out of proportion and put in the wrong contexte 'owls eat dogs'. Ok it may take the yorkie for an earless rabbit but we know how some are going to react!!

bubo

[Kumben]

Someone round here lost an eagle owl and people were asking ME if they are dangerous, etc. I told everyone they are usually super, with the most lovely natures, except when breeding,( as with most birds, )but if they sight it, they must please phone (and I gave them the number) as those people were desperate to get it back as it was imprinted and would not necessarily know another type of food and would be hungry. (I didn't want to mention that they could attack chickens, cats etc if they got hungry enough)
A few people asked me if it would attack them, I said not normally at all, but if it landed on their arm it might accidentally scratch them with the sharp talons, so if they saw it they must just keep an eye on where it was sitting and phone the people, not try and catch it themselves.
There must be several birds round here from various people who have had them released/stolen by do-gooders. And I know of at least 1 HH who is thriving in the wild round Fochabers! Immaculate plumage, frolicking with the rooks.
Kumben