Hungry birds from Russia�s northern forests have made a record-breaking appearance on Scottish islands and a big mistake in the process.

Brian Unwin Hungry birds from Russia's northern forests have made a record-breaking appearance on Scottish islands and a big mistake in the process.

The two-barred crossbills have flown west in search of their favourite food, seeds from the cones of larch and spruce, but have landed on islands with few or no trees.

At least 48 two-barred crossbills have been recorded in just three weeks most of them on Shetland and Orkney, one on Harris in the Western Isles and, remotest of all, one on St Kilda, 50 miles further out into the Atlantic.

This is the biggest ever influx of the species with the scientific name Loxia leucoptera. The previous high was 1990 when 23 arrived.

Jim Williams, official bird recorder on Orkney where the first bird appeared, at Dale farm, Evie, on July 20 said the big problem for the birds is that they are unable to find their normal food.

"Some have been feeding on wild plants, such as umbellifers, thrift and dandelions. One of the Orkney birds came to feed on peanuts put out for garden birds."

Two-barred crossbills are similar in general appearance to common and Scottish crossbills which nest in Britain. Adult males are dark red, females and juveniles greenish but differ by the two prominent white bands on each wing.

They do not regularly fly to the UK from their normal haunts in the forests stretching from the Finnish border to the Sea of Okhotsk.

Shetland bird recorder Paul Harvey said: "Such a big influx was anticipated after we heard of a lot in Scandinavia.

"With so many juveniles among them, it is clearly a classic situation of a successful breeding season followed by a sudden food shortage."