Return of the red kite The red kite reintroduction programme in England

working today for nature tomorrow The red kite is one of Britain’s rarest and most spectacular birds. It The reintroduction programme has a stunning plumage of black, chestnut, grey and russet, and glides effortlessly on long, finger-tipped wings, constantly twisting its deeply forked tail for control. As a result of an ongoing reintroduction In order to restore the red kite to the birds were in captivity and for programme, the kite is now a more frequent sight in several parts of England and Scotland, the Nature several more weeks following release. England and it will hopefully continue to increase and spread to new Conservancy Council (now English This ensured that the birds had a areas in the coming years. Part of our wildlife heritage, lost through the Nature in England) and the RSPB reliable source of food during the past actions of humans, will then have been restored for all to enjoy. began a reintroduction programme time that they were learning to adapt to in 1989. Over a five-year period, 93 life in the wild, mimicking the natural young kites were released at each of situation where adult kites provide their two sites, one in the Chilterns of young with food for several weeks after History southern England and another in they have left the nest. northern Scotland. The Chilterns’ birds The red kite was once one of Britain’s Despite the many changes that Releases at the first two sites proved to were taken as nestlings of 4-6 weeks most widespread and familiar birds. have affected the British countryside be highly successful and have resulted old, mainly from north-eastern Spain In medieval times it was even found in since the time when kites were last in the establishment of self-sustaining where the kite is still common. some of our towns and cities where it numerous, large areas of the lowlands populations in both areas. In 2001 played a useful role in cleansing the are still highly suitable for them. Each year up to 20 nestlings were at least 121 pairs bred in southern streets of refuse and, for this reason, Levels of human persecution are imported and kept in specially built England, rearing well over 200 young, was one of the first birds to be given far lower than in the past as attitudes wooden aviaries for 6-8 weeks before and 32 pairs bred in northern Scotland. legal protection. As standards of towards birds of prey have changed for being released into the wild in July or It is hoped that these populations will hygiene improved the kite was no the better; there are now laws in place August. Food, in the form of animal continue to increase and spread longer able to live in urban areas and, that make persecution illegal and carrion, was provided each day whilst naturally over the coming years. in the countryside, it was wrongly seen offenders subject to a heavy fine or as a threat to livestock and gamebirds imprisonment. Although the Welsh and was persecuted relentlessly. By population has recovered (to well over the end of the nineteenth century the 250 pairs in 2001) the breeding range species had been lost completely from has expanded only very slowly and the England and Scotland. Only a handful population has not spread back into of pairs managed to survive in remote western England. parts of central Wales, where levels of human persecution were lower.

Kites are now, once again, breeding in several areas of England following reintroduction projects. (Carlos Sanchez Alonso, RSPB Images) Further reintroductions Monitoring kites – the use of wing-tags

In order to increase the rate at which The Yorkshire project, based at the In order to build up as complete a kites are able to recolonise suitable Harewood Estate just north of Leeds, picture as possible of the movements countryside throughout Britain, further began in 1999 when the first young and survival rates of kites in the releases have taken place since 1995, kites, taken from nests in the Chilterns, reintroduction areas, all released, and in central Scotland, the English were released. This project achieved many wild-fledged, birds are given Midlands and Yorkshire. In the one of its first targets in 2000 when a plastic wing-tags so that they can be Midlands, a total of 70 birds, single pair successfully fledged two identified in the field using a high- translocated from central Spain young. In 2001 no fewer than 8 pairs powered telescope. and from the expanding Chilterns’ reared at least 15 young. Releases The colour of the tag on the left wing population, were released in 1995- will continue in order to increase the indicates the area of origin (yellow – The moment of release as a red kite makes its first 1998. A viable population has already chance that a self-sustaining population Chilterns, white – Midlands, orange – flight in the wild. (Ian Carter) become established and, in 2000, the will become established in this area. Yorkshire) and the colour of the right The reintroduction programme last year for which accurate figures are wing-tag indicates the year of fledging has provided an ideal opportunity available, 16 pairs reared 22 young. or release (green – 1998, black – 1999, to learn more about the red kite and pink – 2000, blue – 2001, white – how it fares in our modern lowland 2002). We would welcome sightings landscapes. The following sections The red kite is superbly skilled in flight and can often be seen drifting effortlessly over of wing-tagged individuals away from summarise the results of monitoring the countryside with its head tilted downwards, the areas where kites have already and research carried out in England scanning the ground for food. (Chris Gomersall) become a familiar sight. during the last decade.

Approximate location of release sites in England and Scotland Kites ready for release from their aviary in the Midlands. (Ian Carter) Diet and feeding behaviour Movements and dispersal

The kite is predominantly a scavenger locally. The diet in England has been Adult red kites only rarely undertake slow to naturally recolonise areas from and searches for animal and bird studied by direct observations of long-distance movements, tending to which they have been lost, even when carcasses by drifting slowly over open feeding birds, analysis of regurgitated remain within 4km of their nest site conditions remain suitable. countryside scanning the ground below. throughout the year. In contrast, some pellets and by recording food remains Occasionally isolated breeding pairs do Some food is obtained by stealing from first-year birds disperse away from found at nest sites. The results vary become established well away from the other birds of prey or scavengers such their nest (or release) site and may depending on the method used as, reintroduced populations. In 1996 and as crows. Invertebrates, small mammals range over considerable distances. for example, small mammal remains 1997 a pair bred successfully in north- and occasionally birds are taken as show up well in pellets but are difficult At least 40% of the birds released in east Suffolk and in 2001 a pair reared live prey. to identify by direct observation of the Midlands and Yorkshire undertook at least two young in east Yorkshire. The red kite is a highly adaptable feeding birds. The two tables below movements of more than 20km during The extent to which such adventurous bird and has an incredibly varied diet, give details of the most important their first year. Many dispersing birds pairs are able to establish viable new taking whatever is most easily available foods taken by birds in the Midlands. subsequently return to the release area populations will go a long way towards before making their first breeding determining how quickly the red kite DIET IN WINTER attempt, as kites are reluctant to breed returns to its former status as a far from their natal (or release) area. widespread and familiar bird. Species/group Feeding observations (%) Occurrence in pellets (%) This is one of the reasons why kites are Rabbit and hare 50 30 Rat 6 17 Wood mouse 0 12

Field vole 0 9 Release areas Pheasant 10 5 Yorkshire Pigeon 1 6 Midlands Earthworms 18 7

DIET IN THE BREEDING SEASON Species/group Food remains at nests (%) Occurrence in pellets (%) Rabbit and hare 27 47 Rat 8 7 Mice and voles 1 7 Pheasant and partridge 25 6 Pigeon 19 16 Crows 10 2 Records of young kites (identified from wing-tags or by radio-tracking) that dispersed away from their release area 1995-2001. Social behaviour Nest sites and breeding

The red kite is a highly social species, are together in the same area at the The nest is a large and untidy structure Teddy bears are a particular favourite; particularly in winter, when large beginning of each day so that social built of sticks and lodged in the fork of two halves from the same unfortunate numbers of birds gather at the end foraging is possible. a tree, usually either close to the edge individual were found in a Chilterns of each day at traditional communal of a wood or near to a clearing or nest and a bear’s head was found in roosting sites. Over 200 birds have Kites in England do not usually travel woodland ride. This is because the a Yorkshire nest in 2000. been counted circling together above more than about 4km from their roost adults have a large wing-span and so a roost wood in the Chilterns, before in order to find food and utilise an area need a fairly direct aerial route to the Nest decoration may serve to show settling in the trees for the night. Such of up to 20-30km2 during the winter. nest site. other kites in the area that the nest is gatherings involve mainly young kites in use or it may simply be the result Nests are often ‘decorated’ with rags, as some adults roost close to their nest The roosts tend to break up in spring of the male trying to show-off his paper or plastic, a habit that was known site throughout the year. as new pairs move away to potential nest-building prowess to his partner. breeding sites. Unlike many birds of to Shakespeare when he wrote in ‘The Kites benefit from foraging in loose prey, kites are not territorial and defend Winter’s Tale’, “when the kite builds, Breeding productivity in England is groups as this improves their chances only a very small area close to their look to lesser linen.” This was a high, with an average of about two of finding food, and animal carcasses nest from other kites. Foraging areas reference to the kite’s habit of stealing young fledged per breeding pair. are often large enough to satisfy the are shared and active nests are often washing which, in those days, would This is double the level of productivity appetites of several birds. Communal only a few hundred metres apart. often be left out on hedges to dry. In found in central Wales showing that roosting has probably evolved as a recent years all sorts of different items the drier, more food-rich lowland means of ensuring that groups of birds have been found in kites’ nests in England, countryside is far better suited to including gloves, a (unsuccessful) kites than the damp and unproductive lottery ticket, handkerchiefs and even uplands of mid-Wales. ladies’ underwear!

ROOST AREA

ROOST AREA

Each dot represents a location, determined by radio-tracking, for two individual kites during the Some kite pairs in England have only a single chick but two or three is the most common number and course of a single winter (the background squares are 1km x 1km). occasionally four chicks may be reared. (Ian Carter) Mortality and threats Acknowledgements

The biggest cause of death We are indebted to the following and Midlands during 1989-1997 for kites in England is organisations for their support and and would like to thank the Junta de illegal poisoning. Baits, assistance with the reintroduction Castilla y León, Servicio Territorial laced with poison are left programme: British Airways, Centre de Medio Ambiente y Ordenación del out in the open, in most for Ecology and Hydrology, Enventure Territorio de Segovia y Salamanca. cases in an attempt to kill Northern, Forest Enterprise, The crows or foxes rather than Harewood Estate, Institute of Zoology, For further information, or to report kites. They are, however, Integrated Waste Management Ltd., sightings of red kites, contact Ian completely indiscriminate Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Carter at English Nature, Northminster and because kites are Southern England Kite Group, Welsh House, Peterborough PE1 1UA, such efficient scavengers Kite Trust and Yorkshire Water. RSPB’s Doug Simpson c/o Estate they are often first on the Office, Harewood Yard, Harewood, We are particularly grateful to the Leeds LS17 9LF, or Nigel Snell, scene with unsurprising This incident, involving a hare carcass laced with mevinphos, results. Since the start of the resulted in the deaths of at least three young red kites. Spanish authorities who supplied 2 Hambleden Mill, Henley-on-Thames, reintroduction project, 20 (Ian Carter) young kites for release in the Chilterns Oxon, RG9 3AF. kites have been found killed instructions and make sure that regular by illegal poison baits in England and searches are carried out for dead rats so Young kites in their first year are paler than because only a small proportion of that they can be disposed of safely and adults and have a distinctive pale line across birds that die are ever found, this do not become available to scavengers. the upperwing. (Chris Gomersall) represents only the tip of the iceberg. Other threats include shooting, A further threat is from accidental electrocution on overhead powerlines, poisoning when kites feed on rats and collision with vehicles when that have been poisoned with second- feeding on road-kills. generation anticoagulant rodenticides. These have replaced warfarin in many Despite the varied threats faced by areas but are far more toxic. When kites in our modern countryside, poisoned rats die out in the open there overall survival rates of released red is a risk that they may be scavenged kites are high. At least 50% of birds by kites and other species, sometimes survive their first year and over 90% with fatal results. of adults survive from one year to the next. This means that the red kite is In order to reduce the threat to kites almost certainly here to stay and we it is better to use less toxic products hope that, in the coming years, more such as those based on warfarin or and more people will have the chance coumatetralyl in areas where rats have to watch our most spectacular bird of not developed resistance to them. It is prey in their local countryside. essential to follow product label English Nature is the Government agency that champions the conservation of wildlife and natural features throughout England. This is one of a range of publications published by: External Relations Team English Nature, Northminster House Peterborough PE1 1UA www.english-nature.org.uk © English Nature 2002 Printed on Evolution Satin, 75% recycled post-consumer waste paper, Elemental Chlorine Free. ISBN 1 85716 544 6 Cat code IN6.3 Cover photo: Chris Gomersall Designed by The Creative Company, Peterborough. Printed by W Lake (Birmingham) Ltd, 10M.

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