Flying visit by a giant

A rare visitor from Iceland, the largest falcon in the world, has turnedup in the Outer Hebrides.

The gyrfalcon was recorded at the Butt of Lewis on Saturday.

The bird, rarely seen in the UK, is the largest of all falcon species and is normally found closest to Scotland in Iceland.

The gyrfalcon breeds on Arctic coasts and islands of North America, Europe and Asia.

The only natural predator of gyrfalcons are golden eagles and even they rarely engage with these formidable birds.

Gyrfalcons that make it to adulthood can live up to 20 years.

In mediaeval times, the gyrfalcon was considered the king’s bird.