Full story from Press and Journal Website.
A Massive owl with a wingspan of more than 6ft is swooping around Inverness city centre.
The eagle owl, the largest in Europe, has been thrilling crowds after it arrived recently.
One of its favourite haunts is a tree in Gordon Terrace overlooking the River Ness but it has visited other parts of the Highland capital including scaffolding at the new Scottish Natural Heritage building at Craig Dunain and in Ness Walk.
Experts believe it is a captive bird which escaped or was released.
The eagle owl is found in north Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
It is extremely rare in Britain but some have been seen before in the Highlands.
Eagle owls have been blamed in the past for swooping out of the sky and plucking cats and small dogs but yesterday the RSPB stressed that such incidents were made up.
Commenting on the owl being in an Inverness tree, an RSPB Scotland spokesman said: "That does possibly suggest that it is a captive bird that has somehow got out and the fact that people have seen it would suggest that it is reasonably happy to be in the same proximity as human beings.
"There have been claims about cats and dogs but that's probably sensationalist stuff - however, they are obviously a big predator.
"In terms of what they can eat, they are known to eat quite a wide variety of mammals and birds and the RSPB's concerns about them are that they need to be monitored because they are such a large predator.
"We would like to see them monitored more closely since they might be taking scarce birds to eat as part of their diet, something like hen harriers that we're trying to preserve."
The major part of their diet consists of rabbits, voles, rats, mice, foxes and hares but it can take birds of all types including crows, ducks, grouse, seabirds, and even other birds of prey - including other owls. Other prey taken include snakes, lizards, frogs, fish, and crabs.
It is the giant of all the European owls and can grow to be more than 2ft.
The eagle owl's feathers are flecked in shades of brown and black and its mottled appearance gives it camouflage and means it is less likely to be disturbed when roosting during the day. It has two distinct ear tufts but its ears are actually on the side of its face.
Seems the RSPB are pretty keen to stress it won't take cats. Like hell won't it, fox and small deer are listed as regular prey items in the wild. Hunting at night in the centre of Inverness........now what would be the easiest and most abundant mammal????? Looked pretty healthy on the news! Interesting to get hold of a pellet from under the tree........will try tomorrow.
