VANDALS have damaged a conservation site for protected sea birds, Police Scotland has said.
The site in Barra has been established to protect the UK's second rarest seabird, the little tern.
Fences and warning signs that were in place around the nesting terns have been destroyed at some time between Sunday evening and Monday morning, police said.
The offenders could face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to £5000, or both.
A Police Spokesperson added: "It is everyone's responsibility to act within the law and to protect the environment and wildlife and these measures are part of a broader commitment to wildlife conservation and the protection of vulnerable species in the UK."
The little terns, which have made their nests at the island's Eoligarry Pier, have an amber conservation status, meaning population is declining and there is concern for their future due to threats of climate change and habitat loss.
Since the 1980s, little terns have declined by 39% across the UK and Ireland.
Little terns are the UK’s smallest species of tern, weighing in at just 40 to 60g, roughly equivalent to a tennis ball.
Despite their small size, little terns fly annually from West Africa to nest on the UK's coast in spring.
Instead of building their nests in trees or bushes like many birds, little terns nest on beaches.
Their eggs are camouflaged with the sand and shingle the nests lay on, meaning that while they may be protected from predators, they are easy for humans to miss when walking.
There are also concerns because adult terns can be easily frightened by people or dogs, and may flee their nests if they are disturbed, leaving behind their eggs and chicks who are at risk from extreme temperatures and predators.
