Scottish-native birds hatch in unusual spot

A pair of oystercatchers have successfully hatched a clutch of chicks in the visitor's carpark at Highland Wildlife Park.

The Scottish-native species does not build traditional birds nests, instead, the birds will lay between two and four eggs at a time in a scrape on the ground.

Both parents take it in turns to incubate the eggs, a routine that will continue now that the chicks have hatched until they become independent at around five to six weeks old.

Douglas Richardson, head of living collections at the park, said: "While it would be preferable for the pair to choose a less precarious spot in the park to raise their brood, they do seem to be able to cope with a relatively high level of disruption."

He added that a previous colleague has since confirmed a pair of oystercatchers – not known to be the same pair – also nested in the spot some 15 years ago.

The park, which sits beside Cairngorms National Park, is also home to wild red squirrels, lapwings and redshanks, as well as specialising in non-native species that are adapted to cold weather.

"Many zoos provide a haven for wildlife but, given our location, we probably have a higher percentage of native species that are seasonally resident within our park than most collections," Mr Richardson commented.

Image courtesy of Alex Riddell