SIGHTINGS OF EAGLE OWLS which can grow up to three feet tall and can attack pets and wildlife have been made across Scotland.

Theories as to where these non-native American, Russian and European birds came from suggest that they may be being released into the wild by people who believe the birds lived here previously until they were wiped out by gamekeepers in the 19th century. Another, more obvious, theory is that the birds escaped from their falconries.

If the former theory is true, there could be strict penalties imposed on the perpetrators. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) has stated that anyone caught setting owls free into the wild, could face a fine of up to £20,000.

M ike Flynn, of the SSPCA, 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."