From a Golden Eagle soaring majestically over moutains, to a Buzzard perched on a fencepost next to a motorway - you're never too far away from a bird of prey in Scotland.
Also known as raptors, these are the feathered friends that are top of the foodchain - carnivorous animals that hunt other birds, mammals and fish.
And Scotland is one of the best places to see these remarkable animals, with large populations of birds that are rare elsewhere in the British Isles.
9. Sparrowhawk
One of Scotland's most common birds of prey, the Sparrowhawk can be found acorss most of mainland Scotland and the islands off the west coast. They aren't always that easy to see though, tending to nest in thick forest. They have distinctive bright yellow or orange eyes, long, yellow legs and long talons. | Canva/Getty Images
10. Osprey
There can't be many more remarkable sights in Scotland's natural world than watching an Osprey hunting fish on a glistening loch. ONce nearly extinct, there are now over two hundred recorded pairs, the majority of which call the Highlands and Tayside home. They can be differentiated from other raptors by their predominantly white underwing. | Canva/Getty Images
11. Common Buzzard
If you see a large bird soaring high in the sky in Scotland, the chances are that it's Common Buzzard - the most common bird of prey in Scotland. You're almost as likely to see them perched on street lights at the edge of cities and towns as you are in the countryside. This bird's dark wingtips are a good way to identify them from below. | Canva/Getty Images
12. Kestrel
One of the easiest of Scotland's birds of prey to identify on the wing - it is the only one that is capable of hovering, which is does when hunting for mice and other small animals. It used to be the most common raptor in the country but is now in decline. They are still widepread across the country, but in fewer numbers than previously. | Canva/Getty Images