![]() Both reintroductions started in 1989 with the same number of birds released and studies show that nest productivity and food availability to be similar. I have never seen this but it must be quite a sight. The red kites of the Chilterns have boomed, with an estimated 4,000 pairs in southern England in 2017 while around the Black Isle there are less than 100 pairs. Red Kite Bird of Prey Art Print By Martyn Arnold From 46.92 Northamptonshire Red Kite Bird of Prey Art Print By Martyn Arnold From 46.92 heart crystal diamond dragon red dragon pink dragon fantasy Art Print By SmaragdDragon From 32.10 Soaring Red Kite Bird of Prey Art Print By Martyn Arnold From 46. They also will form communal roosts, especially in winter ( Cramp etal cite gatherings of up to 100). In central Switzerland they can reach high densities, with numbers exceeding 20 pairs per 100 square kilometres in places ( Knaus et al 2018). ![]() Red Kite in Flight Red Kite (Milvus milvus) flying against a blue sky dotted with clouds. It favours agricultural areas, where there are fields separated by plots of woodland for nesting and roosting, where there is waste around farms, and where harvesting activities can disturb or kill potential prey. The red kite is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. Like the Black Kite it is both a scavenger and a predator, foraging opportunistically for both live and dead items. These being mostly adults who may be avoiding the risks of migration. It may also be one species that has benefitted from a warmer climate as the numbers over-wintering have risen to about 3000 individuals in Switzerland. Reintroductions in the UK have also been hugely successful. In Switzerland the numbers have increased more than 3-fold in the past 20 years with about 3000 pairs now nesting. The head and throat are pale grey with dark streaks. The long, broad wings have a conspicuous white patch underneath when seen in flight, and black tips, and the reddish-brown tail is forked. The underparts are reddish-brown with black streaks on the belly and breast. Persecution had reduced the numbers dramatically from the mid-19th century onwards, but increasingly successful protection over recent decades has meant a population re-bound. Red kites have reddish-brown upperparts with a darker scaled pattern on the back. The Red Kite is a conservation success story.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |