The Red Kite is currently increasing across many parts of the UK following the successful reintroduction programme and therefore no specific conservation actions are currently required in many areas. There is no evidence yet that density-dependent effects have begun to slow the rate of increase. However, the initial rapid increases following re-introduction to England and Scotland may have been aided by lack of intraspecific competition and the ability of this species to exploit a previously unoccupied habitat.
#Red kite bird gifts drivers#
There is little good evidence available regarding the drivers of the breeding population increase in this species in the UK. Nevertheless, the species was moved to the green list in the UK in 2015 ( Eaton et al. Poisoning also still occurs in England and may have slowed the rate of expansion in some areas ( Molenaar et al. Illegal killing is continuing and in northern Scotland the use of poisoned baits deliberately to kill raptors has severely limited the growth of the Red Kite population ( Smart et al. Results from a transect survey specifically targeting Buzzards and Red Kites in central southern England, between 20, showed a doubling of population in the area over that period, broadly in line with the BBS trend ( Stevens, M et al. BBS sightings have shown a steep rise since 1995. Introduced birds and their offspring wander widely across Britain and Ireland but, as yet, pairs have been slow to set up breeding sites distant from the release areas ( Balmer et al. Orros & Fellowes 2014, 2015) or the development of a well-established communal roost.
Each of these centres has given rise to a productive breeding group, in some cases benefiting from large-scale provision of food (e.g. Further releases were begun in Northamptonshire in 1995, central Scotland in 1996, Yorkshire in 1999, Dumfries & Galloway in 2001, northeast England in 2004, Aberdeen in 2007 and County Down in 2008.
Successful breeding populations quickly established in both areas.
As a step towards restoring the original breeding range, birds were introduced in 1989 into the Chilterns (Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire) and into the Black Isle in Easter Ross ( Evans & Pienkowski 1991). Most birds were descended from a single female that had continued to breed successfully during the population bottleneck ( Carter 2001). Through careful husbandry organised by a 'Kite Committee' of local conservationists and landowners, including RSPB bounties paid to farmers for successful nests during 1922-90, the Welsh population rose to 100 pairs by 1993. Red Kite was historically widespread across Britain but, following widespread persecution, fewer than ten breeding pairs remained by the 1930s and 1940s, concentrated into a small area of mid Wales.
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