Red Kites ready for release from their aviary. (Photo. Ian Carter)

This web page is taken from the introduction of 'The Red Kite', a new publication for 2001 written by Ian Carter from English Nature.

The publication of this excerpt is exclusive to this web site, and we are grateful to Ian for his kind permission in letting us publish it.

This book, the first detailed monograph on the species to be published in English, describes the history of the Red Kite and its long association with man, explains why populations in many areas are now recovering, and provides details of the serious threats still facing the Kite in parts of its range. There is a full review of the current status of the bird, together with chapters on diet and foraging, social behaviour, breeding ecology and movements. It is hoped that the book will encourage a greater understanding of the Red Kite at a time when more and more people in Britain have the chance to watch this fascinating and spectacular bird in their local countryside.

The Red Kite is one of only a handful of birds that manages to thrill and delight almost everyone that is lucky enough to see it at close quarters. It has all the attributes required for attracting attention and admiration, including a spectacular plumage, a wonderfully graceful and effortless flight, and the habit of drifting slowly, low over the countryside, where it can be appreciated to full effect. It is, quite simply, one of the world’s most impressive birds of prey.

In the reintroduction areas, such as in the Chilterns Hills of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, the Kite has become a frequent topic of conversation, and anything up to 200 people have packed into tiny village halls in order to learn more about this new addition to their local countryside. Farmers, gamekeepers and others who spend long hours working outdoors are often particularly enthusiastic as they have more opportunity than most to become familiar with the bird.

The Kite is a highly adaptable, generalist species, able to thrive in a wide range of different landscapes provided that the basic requirements of woodland for nesting and roosting, and open areas for foraging, are met. The species has one of the most varied diets of any European bird of prey and will scavenge on almost anything, from the smallest of birds and mammals to the largest of our domestic animals, as well as taking live prey in the form of small mammals, birds and invertebrates. In times gone by, even urban areas provided a home for the Kite, and the species was given special protection in Britain for its valuable role in helping to keep the streets clean.

The story of the Red Kite in Britain emphasises the degree to which the bird’s fortunes have changed at the hands of man. From being one of our most widespread and familiar birds of prey a few hundred years ago, the Kite came to within a hair’s breadth of extinction by the end of the 19th century, as, along with other birds of prey, it was seen as a threat to gamebirds and livestock. A few pairs found a last refuge in the remote uplands of central Wales, where persecution was less intense, but where the damp, cool climate and unproductive landscape made recovery a painfully slow process. Thankfully, we live in times when attitudes towards birds of prey in Britain, at least amongst a majority of people, have changed for the better. The lack of fear of man that once hastened the Kite’s decline is now an asset, allowing it to exploit food sources close to human settlements and providing people with spectacular views as its drifts slowly overhead. In parts of the Chilterns the Kite has, once again, become a regular visitor to rural villages and the edges of small towns and it will even come down to food put out for it in village gardens. A photograph of a Kite in the process of snatching up the leftovers of someone’s Sunday lunch from an Oxfordshire garden appeared recently in the national press, and in the accompanying interview, the householder expressed his delight at being able to watch such a magnificent bird from the comfort of his own living room.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Kite is its highly social behaviour in winter. Groups of anything up to 200 gather together at roost sites in the Chilterns in the late afternoon, often indulging in spectacular communal display-flights above the roost wood, before settling in the trees for the night. At times, the birds seem to be simply enjoying themselves and it is a highly uplifting experience to watch a pre-roost gathering of Kites wheeling around in tight formation, with some breaking away from the main group to indulge in rapid, zig-zagging chases. Despite the apparent frivolity of this activity, there are good biological reasons for communal roosting, as well as the pre-roost display-flights, and these are explored in the chapter on ‘social behaviour and play’.

Ian Carter works for English Nature in Cambridgeshire, where he lives with his wife Selena and two children.

Publishers details

If you would like to learn more about these fascinating birds then the book will be called simply 'The Red Kite' and will be available for £19.95 from :

Arlequin Press, 26, Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SW.

01245 267771

e-mail orders@arlequinpress.co.uk

Please quote the Streatley web site when ordering the book.