Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Feb. 5, 2025

Being the "black sheep" isn"t always a bad thing—just ask the Scottish Blackface, seen here in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. With its striking dark features and a knack for thriving in places others wouldn"t, this British breed has turned the idiom on its head. Far from an outcast, it"s the backbone of Scotland"s rural life and a true champion of the hills and moors. Interestingly, the Blackface sheep didn"t originate in Scotland but south of the Anglo-Scottish border. The breed"s history is fascinating, and varieties such as the large-framed Perth and the medium-framed Lanark types are found across the United Kingdom. Though it"s the most common breed in the region, the Blackface sheep has spread across the world, including the United States. Its coarse fleece is perfect for making durable products like carpets and tweeds—definitely not your average sweater material.

© Mike Powles/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

What are these colourful insects?
Feb. 5, 2024Monarch butterflies, Goleta, California
Feb. 5, 2026Salt evaporation ponds on the island of Gozo, Malta

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb. 26, 2026Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
Dec. 29, 2024Borobudur temple, Java, Indonesia
Oct. 3, 2023Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Mar. 27, 2024World Theatre Day
Oct. 31, 2024Happy Halloween!
How’s the air up there?
Mar. 11, 2025Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
Where are these spectacular peaks?
A pair of high achievers
Wind-powered ice racing
Shell-ebrating sea turtles
Jan. 30, 2026Winterlude begins
Sway with the Amazonian canopy
A kiss and a sigh
Peek-a-boo, I see you!
Desert daggers?
Saving and celebrating honey bees
Nov. 22, 2025Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
Oct. 24, 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States
Aug. 27, 2024Young black caiman, Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
Aug 10, 2026Joshua Tree National Park in California, United States
Jul. 16, 2025Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
One giant leap for mankind
Jun. 20, 2025Summer solstice
Sep. 25, 2024Sequoia National Park, California, USA
The beauty that lies below
Jan. 28, 2024Channel Country, Australia
Mar. 25, 2024Happy Holi!
Oct. 25, 2023Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
Oct. 24, 2023Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary