DOVEScot

Eagle Owl. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXOTIC owls so large they can catch and kill a dog or small deer are being deliberately released into the wild by people who believe they should be introduced into Scotland. Eagle owls, which grow to almost three feet tall, have been spotted across the country in areas including Edinburgh, Fife, the Borders, Stirling, Argyll, Morayshire and the Black Isle. Some enthusiasts - those responsible for releasing them - believe the birds used to live in Scotland until they were wiped out by gamekeepers in the 19th Century. Experts say there is no evidence of this. Now ornithologists are concerned the "super-predators" will wipe out many native birds if they continue to be released in Scotland. David Kelly, the Lothian recorder for the Scottish Ornithology Club, said people were able to release eagle owls because they are easy to breed in captivity and cheap to buy at around £80 each. "There are people that feel quite strongly that the eagle owl was wiped out from Scotland at the same time the osprey and goshawk were exterminated," he said. "They may have lived here before the ice age more than 15,000 years ago, but the environment was different then. "I am concerned they think it is a good idea to deliberately release them and am saddened when I see them or receive reports of sightings of them, for example in Balerno in Edinburgh just a few weeks ago. "These people are misguided and don’t seem to realise that if they spread and increase then they will be very dangerous to our native birds. They even eat other owls. "You should never take captive birds and release them into the wild as not only is it illegal, but it upsets the native population of birds and animals." He added that anyone sighting one of the large owls should report it to the authorities. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has warned that anyone caught setting the owls free faces a fine of up to £20,000. Mike Flynn, SSPCA superintendent, said: "I heard an escaped eagle owl some years ago plucked a Yorkshire terrier from a street in Perth, so they can quite easily eat dogs. "It is a clear offence to intentionally introduce any non-indigenous species into the wild under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. "The International Union for Conservation and Nature decides whether to give a permit to release birds into the wild. They gave permission for ospreys to be re-introduced because they did use to live here before the gamekeepers wiped them out but I can’t see them giving out a permit to do this with eagle owls, considering the damage they do." Several varieties of eagle owl have been seen in Scotland including the Central Asian and Eurasian eagle owl - the largest of the owl species. Females can weigh as much as ten pounds and have a 5ft wing span. Eurasian eagle owls are native to countries such as Russia. The Central Asian eagle owl is native to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and India. Eagle owls hunt mostly at night. They can catch prey up to the size of foxes and young deer whilst hunting in the wild, but they also feed on rabbits, smaller mammals and birds in captivity. Experts say adult birds can be aggressive. Keith Morton, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ species protection officer, said: "These birds are cheap to buy and easy to get hold of and there are quite a few now living wild in Scotland. "They can easily grab a cat without too much trouble and are known to predate on peregrines at night on the nest. "They don’t belong here and there is no evidence of them living here in the post-glacial period. However, there is still this debate going, that they did live here, among some people. I would urge anyone who knows of anyone releasing eagle owls to contact me." Duncan Orr-Ewing, RSPB head of policy, said: "They are very adaptable when released into the wild because they have quite a cosmopolitan diet, feeding on small deer or dogs and their favourite prey being hedgehogs. "They shouldn’t be released here." One has been sighted at Balerno, West Lothian not far from where I live. Guess where I'm going at the week-end suitably tooled up with binns, tripod, scope and camera!! Keep your fingers crossed for me that I get, at least, a brief glimpse of this magnificent bird. EILEEN.

He told us where, but do not want to post, did not go into detail why, he reckons there are quite a few in the wild already

What, the eagle owls or the sky divers :D :D

Our runts even use the same traps, get a similar mate for it and keep it happy, or a racer your not fussy about. We had two spare runt cocks and paired them up to racers as they were chasing everything else. Glad you say we now have two female runts for them

That is the, and will be the, problem for them, it is ok us wanting the hawk balance addressed but as soon as they attack something cute and furry petwise, the media will have a field day and backed with the RSPB. Culling will be ok then :-/

Same as you I have doubts about the rspb allowing it to succeed, but the guy said the programme was well on it's way :-/

We spoke to a falconer taday and he told us there is a release programme for eagle owls under way in Scotland ;D

Not all vets are like that, but quite a few are. Our vet is great and advises us on alternatives to save money

I agree, but the ones that don't, shouldn't :-/

Surely this will depend on the worming treatment you are using, the instructions will tell you if you need to repeat 14 days later :-/

There's no enough beetroot in the world for that to happen, you could always club her over the head with one first, that might work :D :D

The sad thing is that the media do not sell their stories or productions highlighting all the good things in life, they are notorious for shock a sleaze angle on a story. If they want to they could make mountain ranges out of a mole hill, just to make money. That is why the million dollar race programme was produced and aired and not the others that are boring and without incident. I bet if one of the birds that won your one loft races Davey shat on the Queen it would be in every media circus in the world :D :D :D

Sometimes you try and log on or register with outher sites and the name has been taken already............

You could, but the wee tykes you paid to shoot the hawks would shoot the pigeons too and blackmail you into the bargain, then pop all yer windows just for the fun it. You just cannae get the staff these days :D :D

WHO M'wa, never, half ma lies are true I'll let you know

Maybe you could feed them on a teflon based mix, this would cut down drasticly on the coeficient of friction factors on the bowels and reduce the mass index of the birds, also the crest should be aerofoiled accordingly to suit the prevailing wind and turbulance, increasing energy effiency due to both head winds and tail winds. Also the teflon would be beneficial again the coeficient of friction when the hawks try to grab them

Glad you had a good time, a wee bit more notice next time ;D ;D ;D

We use it 2-3 times a week, 5ml per litre of drinking water, we also add some to the bath water, cheapest source in asda etc

That's all white then

Geordie, braw pics like this or better of the winners I hope :D

Body and ridewood http://www.everythingforpets.com/hawk_globe.pet/use.id.5.item_id.1032.dept.79/

Don't think it will go in that direction regards being a sport, but you never know, we could live in hope. I think if we get racing recognised as a sport then we will be doing well.

Aye but what name do you call them, watch out Chickadee's whites all rounders from racer to fancy ;D ;D ;D

This is the comment I objected to No reply to my idea then?????? NO WONDER PIGEON RACING IS AS IT IS!! I AM WILLING TO MAKE A STAND AND NO-ONE IS TAKING IT SERIOUSLY. Most of you guys are more interrested in the annual dance... What are you all scared of, most of you are all talk and willing to sit back and let the true fanciers do the hard work? Bring it on! Ha its laughable!!! Not only you but everyone on here has a life as well as pigeons, that's why we want to talk about blackpool as well other issues on the site, not made to feel guilty because we are committed to other things both on and off the site Pigeon racing is the only part of pigeon keeping that is any chance of being recognised as a sport Any other part will be considered a hobby, a business a past time or a way of life, but as a pigeon forum we should support all parts of pigeon keeping unlike others on the site. Without the roots the tree will soon die and topple also without the branches it would soon become onesided and crooked.

In parts of england they only use tile battens :-/