I WAS fascinated to read that a magnificent, and rare, gyrfalcon is patrolling North Uist (“Twitchers in a flap to spot a gyrfalcon”, The Herald, April 6). Let's hope it avoids the Harris wind turbine that tragically finished off the "once in a lifetime" visit by the white-throated needletail in June, 2013.

Research from around the world has recently revealed horrifying levels of bird and bat mortality caused by wind turbines. The systematic cover-up and burying of corpses is routine.

In Australia for example, the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle is threatened with global extinction by wind farms. Our own iconic golden eagles and raptors are particularly susceptible as their habitats are on high ground.

Recent figures for bird deaths indicate: Spain, 330 birds per turbine per year; Germany , 309, and Sweden, 895.

Before any more turbines are built the wind industry should tell us the Scottish figures.

George Herraghty,

Lothlorien, Lhanbryde, Moray.