Killing kites with kindness

Having already been saved from extinction once, these beautiful birds of prey are being put at risk in some parts of the UK, warn conservationists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

A reintroduction programme set up in 1989 which translocated birds from Spain and Sweden to the UK has had marked success, with more nesting birds appearing each year. But a study carried out in the Chilterns this year has revealed up to one in 10 people are feeding red kites in their gardens, and well over half of these are leaving out cooked leftover food scraps, which have little or no nutritional value for the kites. This can make red kites over-dependent on food handouts and deprive them of the opportunity to feed naturally. Food dependency in areas with high concentrations of kites is also slowing the rate of spread to new areas of Britain.

Rat and mouse poison is also posing a threat to red kites’ survival, with ZSL vets who monitor wild kite health identifying poisoning as a significant cause of death. Kites that eat dead or dying rodents killed with anticoagulant pesticides face being poisoned themselves. This threat includes deliberate illegal poisoning of kites to prevent them from preying on game birds.

The potential threat caused by inappropriate feeding has prompted conservationists at ZSL and the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB) to contact hundreds of home and landowners in the Chilterns – where there are a large number of red kites – to give advice. ZSL, which runs London Zoo and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, has even produced a leaflet packed with information to send out to homes visited by red kites.

ZSL’s Native Species Conservation Programme Manager Emily Brennan said: “Many people like to feed red kites as they want to help conserve them and enjoy seeing these beautiful birds on their land. But feeding red kites the wrong types of food can cause serious dietary deficiencies which could lead to death. If you do decide to feed red kites, it is important to follow the advice given by ZSL and the Chilterns Conservation Board.”

Cathy Rose, from the CCB, adds: “There is plenty of natural food available to kites in the Chilterns countryside so they really don’t need any more from us. The best thing we can do for them is let them remain wild and scavenge for themselves without interference.”

Red kites were historically a common sight in England, scavenging for scraps in towns. Both Chaucer and Shakespeare mention the bird in their works, with Shakespeare referring to London as “the city of kites and crows”. Their numbers started to dwindle around 200 years ago when organised rubbish disposal reduced food availability and drove them out of towns into the countryside, where they were persecuted as a perceived threat to game birds and livestock. At one point their numbers fell so dramatically it was thought only a single female of breeding age existed in the whole of the UK.

Notes to editors

• Shakespeare mentions red kites in his plays Coriolanus and A Winter’s Tale. Chaucer mentions them in his Knight’s Tale.

• Copies of the leaflet Helping red kites are available as hard copies or online to download: Helping Red Kites - A good practice guide for landowners in England (590 KB)

• Red kites are russet coloured birds of prey with a 5ft wingspan. There are estimated to be between 1,100 and 1,200 pairs of red kites in the UK – 600 pairs in Wales, 460 in England and 110 pairs in Scotland. About 350 of the English pairs are in the Chilterns area.

• The research, conducted by student Tom Killick, from Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, showed one in 10 people surveyed in the Chilterns had left food out for red kites. 65 per cent of these left out food which potentially harm the birds. Copies of the report are available on request. With a population of approx 89,000 in the Chilterns district [census 2001] the results show up to 8,900 people may have left food out for red kites. Almost 6,000 could have left out food detrimental to the red kite population.

• The red kite reintroduction programme has been hailed as one of the greatest British conservation success stories but the recovering population is at risk from poisoning and dietary deficiencies.

• The Zoological Society of London is involved with the conservation of red kites through the highly successful Natural England Species Recovery Programme, which works with the RSPB and other partners towards the conservation of all UK species. Other successful reintroductions include the pool frog and the corncrake.

• The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was designated in 1965, covers 833 sq kms (326 sq miles) stretching from Goring, in Oxfordshire, to near Hitchin, in Hertfordshire . The Conservation Board was set up following the passing of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, 2000, to conserve and enhance the natural beauty and increase awareness and understanding of the Chilterns AONB. The Board, which also aims to foster the social and economic well being of local communities, is supported by all local authorities in the area and by the Countryside Agency, the National Trust and The Chiltern Society. For more information about the AONB or the Conservation Board, phone 01844 355500, email: office@chilternsaonb.org, website www.chilternsaonb.org

ZSL

Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity: our key role is the conservation of animals and their habitats. ZSL runs London Zoo and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, carries out scientific research in the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in field conservation in other countries worldwide.

Press Contact

Emma Kenly
Press Officer
Zoological Society of London
London Zoo
Regent's Park
London NW1 4RY

T: 020 7449 6280 F: 020 7449 5743
Email: emma.kenly@zsl.org