Terrorising Owl at Large in Inverness

Feathered Foe Remains on the Loose

Here's a strange case of life imitating art from Inverness, with news just in that rivals Hitchcock's 1963 horror The Birds:

A giant Eagle Owl is to blame for attacks on pedestrians over the last week on Castle Street. Police have warned residents to keep clear of the giant bird of prey, who has taken up residences upon the roof of a kilt shop and in the backyard of a local pub.

Two men have reported attacks to the police, after being attacked within minutes of each other on January 19. John Mackay of North Kessick was knocked out and left lying in a pool of blood after the 2-ft high bird swooped on him and left him with a 3-inch cut in his head. “I thought I had been hit on the back of my head by a brick. I didn’t hear a thing, not even the flap of a wing. It was only when I stumbled back on to my feet and I saw the owl perched on top of a van that I then knew what had happened. I couldn’t believe how much blood there was. People were asking for more towels. I went into shock straight away. It’s not the kind of thing you expect to happen on a Saturday night.”

Moments earlier, in efforts to fend off the feathered foe, Noel Hill of Inverness engaged in a fist fight with the bird. “It hit me from behind. I never heard it coming and it hit me in the head. It flew up to the Redcliffe Hotel and then flew down at me again. I saw it coming at me for the second time and I had to beat it off with my fists."

It is believed the owl, with a wingspan of 6-ft, has escaped from an aviary or been released into the wild by an owner not willing to pay for its expensive upkeep. Despite warnings crowds are converging on Castle Street, with eager bird spotters hoping to catch a glimpse of the winged terror.

We'll keep you updated on any further developments in this case.