Glasgow's Wildlife - February

Feb 5 2009 By Jenny Tweedie, Rspb

BIRDS of prey often bring out strong emotions, whether it is wonder at seeing a glimpse of a golden eagle, or perhaps concern at witnessing a sparrowhawk catching a blackbird.

Our complex relationship with raptors isn't new. We've lived beside them for thousands of years, and they've become linked to us in our legends and stories, everything from Greek myths, to Harry Potter.

In JK Rowling's book - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - the snowy owl Hedwig makes a spectacular pet for Harry.

A wild snowy owl flies for miles to hunt lemmings and capture ducks in mid-air in its native arctic tundra, so you won't see one in Glasgow. Nor will you see a Golden Eagle roosting on a tower block.

You will see other raptor species such as sparrow hawks, kestrels, peregrine falcons and tawny owls.

You may be lucky enough to spot - or more likely - tawny owls that can be found sometimes in areas of wooded park land - in February tawny owls will be out looking for a mate.

Glasgow has a strong population of sparrowhawks, buzzards, as well as peregrine falcons, which diving towards its prey at 180 mph are the fastest creatures on earth!

While the idea of seeingmore feathers flying at the bird table perhaps doesn't please everyone, it's important to remember that it's as natural as an otter eating a fish or a blackbird eating a worm.

Having a sparrowhawk in your garden means it is a healthy environment that can support a top predator, and studies have shown that their presence has no overall effect on the songbird population.

Peregrines, which prefer to eat pigeons and kill them in mid-air, have been spotted all over Glasgow, particularly around Kelvingrove Park.

That's why RSPB Scotland, working with Glasgow Culture and Sport, have put up a nesting platform on one of the towers at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

The hope is that the peregrines will chose to breed at the site, allowing visitors an incredible view of these fascinating creatures.

Since Victorian times, humans have been killing birds of prey to protect grouse shoots. The red kite became extinct in Scotland before being re-introduced.

Unlike birds such as blue tits, which can hatch out an exhausting 14 babies in a season, many raptors breed slowly, and rear only one or two chicks a year.

Blue tits can bounce back quickly from the effects of natural predators, or years where food is scarce.

Birds of prey, in contrast, are long lived with low natural mortality.

When people kill them, they just can't breed fast enough to make up the losses and the populations decline. That's why they need our help and protection.

If you would like to find out more about Glasgow's peregrines, come along to the Peregrine Spectacular event at Kelvingrove on February 7 and 8.

To find out how you can help stop the killing of birds of prey, visit:www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/birdsofprey.

If you've photographed a bird of prey in the city, send one to the website: www.theglaswegian.co.uk or post a picture to The Glaswegian, One Central Quay, Glasgow, G3 8DA.