Persecuted to near extinction in the UK, the Red Kite has made a tremendous comeback thanks to reintroduction programmes and legal protection.
When Red Kites were reintroduced to the Chilterns in 1989 no one imagined how successful they would be. They started breeding in Hertfordshire in 2005 and the population in the county has steadily increased since.
Locally, Westmill Tip at Ware has attracted large numbers of birds and in recent years a winter roost has been established just north of Bengeo. This year they have nested in Bengeo for first time and their thin piping call “wee-oh” can be heard every day.
A large, graceful bird of prey, it soars over woods and open areas, its distinctive shape and ‘mewing’ calls making it easy to identify. Red Kites were routinely persecuted as hunters of game and domestic animals, but they are in fact scavengers, eating carrion and scraps, and taking only small prey like rabbits.
How to identify a Red Kite:
- Length: 58-64cm
- Wingspan: 1.8m
- Appearance: The Red Kite has angled, red wings that are tipped with black and have white patches underneath in the ‘hand’. It has a long, reddish-brown, forked tail.
More information about Kites can be found at these websites.
https://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-explorer/birds/birds-prey/red-kite
https://www.chilternsaonb.org/about-chilterns/red-kites.html
http://www.sekg.org.uk