Excitement after sighting of male and female snowy owls
High hopes for rare breeding
Published:
Hopes were high last night that snowy owls could breed in the UK for the first time in more than 30 years.
A male and a female have been spotted on North Uist, raising hopes that the two could nest – something which last happened in 1975 in Shetland and became a huge tourist attraction.
There were hopes for a romance last year after two birds were spotted on Lewis, but the prospect was dashed after it was discovered the pair were both males. Yesterday, RSPB Scotland said a female bird has been spotted at its Balranald reserve in North Uist, and a male just a few miles away at Grenitote.
The birds are believed to have come from North America and could stay for the summer if they do breed.
Western Isles RSPB officer Martin Scott said: “These birds are an absolutely spectacular sight and an inspiration to anyone that's lucky enough to see them.
“Just to have snowy owls around is special enough, but to have the prospect of them breeding is even better.
“We think they come over from North America, and in previous years have left rather than stay in the area – although of course if these two do pair up and raise a brood, they could be around for most of the summer.
“We’ve all got our fingers crossed that the pair will find each other and that when they do they like each other and mate. We have staff on North Uist who are keeping an eye on the situation.”
There are hopes of a repeat of the historic nesting during 1967 and 1975 of a pair on Fetlar in Shetland.
In previous years there have been sightings of two snowy owls in one place in North Uist, as well as on Orkney, Shetland and mainland Caithness, but the prospects of nesting were also dashed after it was discovered they were all females.
