A Eurasian eagle owl, with a wingspan of 6 ft 5 in and capable of eating deer and other mammals has gone missing in Kildare.

The female owl, called Tank but nicknamed 'Owlington', escaped from its home in Curragh Grange after she was spooked by a cat.

Owner Darren Jackson has had the owl since she was ten days old and said she was last heading towards the M7.

"She has her jesses [a thin leather strap] and bell on and given her size she will be unmistakable."

He has warned people to keep children and small animals away from the owl as she could cause major injury to them or herself.

Eagle owls are the largest in the owl species and weigh nine times as much as the common barn owl.

Darren has asked members of the public to notify the National Parks & Wildlife Service, local vets or local gardai if they have seen the owl.

"If she is in a tree top during the day, she will be mobbed by crows. This means they will try and chase her out of the area.

"If she is in a residential area, she is likely to try and rest under a bush if she is tired or stressed but in that instance I would recommend people not to pick her up or try to catch her as there is a potential for them to be hurt by her talons if they don't know what they are doing."