Excited West Lothian local snaps elusive rare bird after it escaped zoo

A West Lothian man has captured an image of a rare bird after it escaped its enclosure at a local zoo.

The red-billed blue magpie escaped from Five Sisters Zoo around two weeks ago.

Locals had spotted the bird around their community in Livingston which piqued the interest of local twitchers.

READ MORE: Edinburgh veteran's message after suffering two cardiac arrests and stroke in his 50s

READ MORE: Edinburgh Airport-bound passenger flight forced into 'nightmare' U-turn

David Jamieson, 60, from Livingston is a keen photographer who enjoys capturing wildlife in his area, after hearing about several sightings of the magpie, he headed there to try to capture some photographs.

The factory worker, who does not wish to reveal the exact area he spotted the magpie, was close to giving up after a few near misses but was able to capture some spectacular snaps of the animal.

Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

“I was informed the bird had escaped from Five Sisters Zoo,” he said. “Someone told me the rough area where it was and so all I had to do was find it.

“I was there for about two to three hours and spotted it a couple of times in the woods but I couldn’t really get a good picture.

“But just before I called it a day, it appeared in the grass just in front of me. I got a few pictures before it flew off. I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t have asked for better.

“I was over the moon I got the chance to see it, never mind get some good pictures. There is nothing better for me than getting out and about capturing local wildlife.”

According to eBird Red billed blue magpies are native to South East Asia and are known for being aggressive in scaring away other birds in their area.

They often seek food in both the trees and on the ground level and eat a variety of fruits and seeds as well as other small animals, including other birds' eggs.

Traditionally located in woodlands, the magpies have began to adapt to living in population centres like Beijing.

Five Sisters Zoo has requested the public do not approach the bird or try to catch it while adding they have notified all of the relevant authorities regarding the escaped bird.

Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

Five Sisters Zoo Management Team said: "Five Sisters Zoo can confirm that one of our birds, a red-billed blue magpie, has recently escaped from its enclosure. The incident was promptly reported to the relevant authorities, and we have been actively working to bring the bird safely back to the zoo.

"The bird has settled in a specific area, and our team is closely monitoring the situation to ensure its well-being. We are implementing careful and strategic measures to facilitate its safe return.

"We kindly ask residents in the area not to approach or attempt to capture the bird. Any such actions may disturb the bird, causing it to relocate, which would make our efforts to recover it significantly more challenging.

"Please be reassured that there is no immediate danger to the general public. If you spot the bird, we urge you to contact Five Sisters Zoo directly at 01506 870000 with information on its location.

"We appreciate the public's understanding and support as we work to resolve this situation."