Horrified birdwatchers see rare White-throated Needletail killed after it flies into a wind turbine
Sightings of the White-throated Needletail are incredibly rare in the UK so when one was spotted on the the Isles of Harris it caused quite a stir
It is known as one of the world's fastest birds, able to reach an estimated top speed of 105mph.
Sightings of the White-throated Needletail are incredibly rare in the UK so when one was spotted on the the Isles of Harris it caused quite a stir with Twitchers.
Dozens of birdwatchers who made the journey to Scotland to witness the bird were, however, left devastated after it was killed by a wind turbine as they watched.
Sightings of the bird in the United Kingdom are incredibly rare with just eight recorded spottings in nearly 170 years and most recently over twenty years ago. As a consequence up to 30 ornithologists rushed to the island hoping to catch a glimpse.
One birdwatcher, David Campbell, from Surrey, told the BBC the bird was killed on Wednesday. "We just watched the whole thing with dismay," he said.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies