An eagle owl rescued from a sadistic gamekeeper is enjoying a new lease of life after forming a strong bond with its new owner.
The bird, named Wooey, had been badly mistreated by former owner Alan Wilson, who was revealed in the Record yesterday as one of Scotland’s worst wildlife killers.
Wooey was used to lure raptors including buzzards and endangered hen harriers so that Wilson, 61, could blast them out of the sky with his shotgun on the Longformacus Estate in Berwickshire.
The bird was traumatised after being roughly handled and kept in a pigsty, until Wilson forced it into service.
But it is so happy with new owner Keith, it has already laid an egg.
Keith, from West Lothian, said: “The bird had obviously been deprived of any affection and I slowly gained its trust.
“She allowed me to stroke her beak and feathers but she was incredibly sensitive about her feet, so I’m not sure what might have made her that way.
“I was pretty astonished when she laid an egg.
"It came as a surprise but I’m taking it as a good sign that she is happy.”
Keith took ownership of Wooey after the bird was taken from Wilson last year.
The gamekeeper was banned from keeping birds of prey for 10 years after admitting failing to protect the owl from suffering.
Wilson escaped with just 225 hours of community service and a tag for 10 months despite admitting nine crimes against animals.
It’s thought he killed thousands more.
