Scottish Raptor Groups - The Red Kite

The Red Kite became extinct as a Scottish breeding bird species in the late nineteenth century due primarily to human persecution by sporting estates and the taxidermy trade. The Red Kite was formerly and abundant and widely distributed species in the country prior to this time. Most of the last documented breeding attempts in Scotland were in the Highlands in the 1870-1880s and there is one later record of a pair nesting in Glen Garry (Lochaber) in 1917 (Baxter and Rintoul). Clues to their former presence live on in old place names, particularly with the old Scots name for the Red Kite (the Gled), in names such as Gladhouse ((Lothian) and Gledsmuir (Borders).

Between 1989 and 2005 a joint RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage project was undertaken to reintroduce Red Kites to Scotland, with the ambition of restoring the bird eventually to all of its former range in the country. Between 1989 and 1994 93 Red Kites of Swedish origin were reintroduced on the Black Isle (Ross-shire), followed by a reintroduction in Stirling-shire between 1996 and 2001 using 103 birds of eastern German origin. Finally, between 2001 and 2005 104 birds were released in Dumfries and Galloway using donor stock from north Scotland and the Chilterns reintroduction project in England. The reintroduced birds have been closely monitored by RSPB staff using radio and wing tagging techniques.

In 2005 there were 76 breeding pairs of Red Kites in Scotland and 131 young were fledged. This is thought to be close to an accurate population estimate, although a few breeding pairs may be missed each year. The productivity of the Scottish Red Kite population is at the top end of the European range for this species.

The greatest threat to the Scottish Red Kite reintroduction remains illegal persecution by man, despite the fact that Red Kites pose little or no threats to any land use interests. Red kites are primarily scavengers in Scotland, although they will also take some live prey including voles and other small mammals. Analysis of radio and wing tagging data has shown that at least 37% of the north Scotland population was illegally poisoned between 1989 and 2001 (RSPB unpublished data).

In Scotland most adult breeding Red Kites are sedentary, although they will make short distance movements in response to poor weather. On average about a quarter of the juvenile Red Kites from the north and central Scotland Red Kite populations disperse, largely in a south westerly direction, in their first winter. Scottish birds have been located in Ireland, England and on several occasions in Iberia. The winter roosts of Red Kites are monitored annually.

Duncan Orr-Ewing & Brian Etheridge

References:

Carter, I, 2001. The Red Kite . Arlequin Press, Chelmsford, Essex.

Evans I.M., R.H. Dennis, D.C. Orr-Ewing, N Kjellen, P-O Andersson, M Sylven, A Senosiain & F.C. Carbo. 1997. The re-establishment of the Red Kite breeding populations in Scotland and England. British Birds 90: 123-138.

Evans I.M., R.W. Summers, L. O'Toole, D.C. Orr-Ewing, R. Evans, N. Snell & J. Smith. 1999. Evaluating the success of translocating Red Kites Milvus milvus into the UK. Bird Study 46: 129-144.