Red kite
Red kite | |
---|---|
In flight over Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Accipitriformes |
Family: | Accipitridae |
Genus: | Milvus |
Species: | M. milvus
|
Binomial name | |
Milvus milvus | |
Range of M. milvus Resident
Summer breeding visitor, some migrating elsewhere during winter
| |
Synonyms | |
Falco milvus Linnaeus, 1758 |
The red kite (Milvus milvus) is a medium-large
Taxonomy
The red kite was described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Falco milvus.[5] The word milvus was the Latin name for the bird.[6] In 1799 the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède moved the species to the genus Milvus creating the tautonym.[7]
Two subspecies are recognised:[8]
- M. m. milvus (Linnaeus, 1758) – Europe and northwest Africa to the Middle East
- M. m. fasciicauda Hartert, 1914 – Cape Verde Islands
The subspecies M. m. fasciicauda is almost certainly extinct.[9]
The genus Milvus contains two other species: the
The English word "kite" is from the Old English cyta which is of unknown origin. A kite is mentioned by Geoffrey Chaucer's in his Knight's Tale. The early fifteenth century Hengwrt manuscript contains the lines: "Ther cam a kyte, whil þt they were so wrothe That bar awey the boon bitwix hem bothe." The first recorded use of the word "kite" for a toy that is attached to a length of string and flown in the air dates from the seventeenth century.[13]
Description
Red kites are 60 to 70 cm (24 to 28 in) long
Differences between adults and juveniles
Adults differ from juveniles in a number of characteristics:
- Adults are overall more deeply rufous, compared with the more washed out colour of juveniles;
- Adults have black breast-streaks whereas on juveniles these are pale;
- Juveniles have a less deeply forked tail, with a dark subterminal band;
- Juveniles have pale tips to all of the greater-coverts (secondary and primary) on both the upper- and under-wings, forming a long narrow pale line; adults have pale fringes to upperwing secondary-coverts only.
These differences hold throughout most of the first year of a bird's life.[citation needed]
Behaviour
Breeding
Usually red kites first breed when they are two years old, although exceptionally they can successfully breed when they are only one year old.
The eggs are laid at three-day intervals. The clutch is usually between one and three eggs but four and even five eggs have occasionally been recorded. The eggs are non-glossy with a white ground and red-brown spots. The average size is 57 mm × 45 mm (2.2 in × 1.8 in) with a calculated weight of 63 g (2.2 oz).[16] In Britain and central Europe, laying begins at the end of March but in the Mediterranean area laying begins in early March.[20] The eggs are mainly incubated by the female, but the male will relieve her for short periods while she feeds. The male will also bring food for the female. Incubation starts as soon as the first egg is laid. Each egg hatches after 31 to 32 days but as they hatch asynchronously a clutch of three eggs requires 38 days of incubation. The chicks are cared for by both parents. The female broods them for the first 14 days while the male brings food to the nest which the female feeds to the chicks. Later both parents bring items of food which are placed in the nest to allow the chicks to feed themselves. The nestlings begin climbing onto branches around their nest from 45 days but they rarely fledge before 48–50 days and sometimes not until they are 60–70 days of age. The young spend a further 15–20 days in the neighbourhood of the nest being fed by their parents. Only a single brood is raised each year but if the eggs are lost the female will relay.[16]
The maximum age recorded is 25 years and 8 months for a ringed bird in Germany.[21] The BTO longevity record for Britain and Ireland is also 25 years and 8 months for a bird found dead in Buckinghamshire in 2018.[22] In 2023, one of the first red kites reintroduced to the UK was found injured in Oxfordshire and later died, aged 29.[23]
Food and feeding
The red kites are generalist scavengers and predators. Their diet consists mainly of carrions of large domestic animals such as
As scavengers, red kites are particularly susceptible to poisoning. Illegal poison baits set for foxes or crows are indiscriminate and kill protected birds and other animals.[31] There have also been a number of incidents of red kites and other raptors being targeted by wildlife criminals.[32][33]
In the United Kingdom, there have been several unusual instances of red kites stealing food from people in a similar manner to gulls.[citation needed] One such occurrence took place in Marlow, Buckinghamshire (a town near a major reintroduction site for the species in the UK in the nearby village of Stokenchurch), in which Red Kites swooped down to steal sandwiches from people in one of the town's parks.[34]
Distribution and status
Red kites inhabit broadleaf woodlands, pastures, mixed farmland, valleys and wetland edges, up to at least 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) elevation.
The populations in Germany (which alone is home to almost half of the world's breeding pairs), France and Spain declined between 1990 and 2000, and overall the species declined by almost 20% over those ten years. Populations in Germany and France have subsequently stabilised, and because of growth in other countries, the overall population is now increasing.[1] The main threats to red kites are poisoning, through illegal direct poisoning and indirect poisoning from pesticides, particularly in the wintering ranges in France and Spain, and changes in agricultural practices causing a reduction in food resources. Other threats include electrocution, hunting and trapping, deforestation, egg-collection (on a local scale) and possibly competition with the generally more successful black kite M. migrans.[1]
Continental Europe
German populations declined by 25%–30% between 1991 and 1997, but have remained stable since. The populations of the northern foothills of the
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, red kites were ubiquitous scavengers that lived on carrion and rubbish.[
By the 20th century, the breeding population was restricted to a handful of pairs in
A sighting of the first red kite in London for 150 years was reported in The Independent newspaper in January 2006[49] and in June of that year, the UK-based Northern Kites Project reported that kites had bred in the Derwent Valley in and around Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear for the first time since the re-introduction.[50]
In 1999, the red kite was named 'Bird of the Century' by the British Trust for Ornithology.[40] According to the Welsh Kite Trust, it has been voted "Wales's favourite bird".[51]
In June 2010, the Forestry Commission North West England announced a three-year project to release 90 red kites in Grizedale Forest, Cumbria under a special licence issued by Natural England. The Grizedale programme was the ninth reintroduction of red kites into different regions of the UK and the final re-introduction phase in England.[52]
The stated aims of the Grizedale project were:
- To establish a viable population of red kites in Grizedale, South Cumbria by 2015.
- To increase the rate of red kite expansion into North West England and link up with existing populations in Wales, Yorkshire, North East England and South West Scotland and so increase the chances of a continuous geographical range.
- To develop community involvement and create educational opportunities arising from the project.[53]
As of July 2011, non-breeding birds are regularly seen in all parts of Britain, and the number of breeding pairs is too large for the RSPB to continue to survey them on an annual basis.[54]
Ireland
Red kites were extinct in Ireland by the middle nineteenth century, due to persecution, poisoning and woodland clearance. In May 2007,
Populations and trends by country
The following figures (mostly estimates) have been collated from various sources.[3][60][61][62][63][64][65] They cover most of the countries in which red kites are believed to have bred.
Country | Year | Pairs | Trend | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albania | 0 | Unknown | Bred 1906 | |
Algeria | 0 | Bred in the 19th century, now extinct | ||
Austria | 2019 | 90–130 | Extinct 1950, recolonised 1970s; 5–10 pairs in 2000 and since then rapidly increasing[66] | |
Belarus | 1997 | 1 | Unknown | Extinct 1950s, recolonised 1985; 10 pairs 1990 |
Belgium | 2020 | 350–400 | Declined to 1–2 known pairs in 1967, then recovery[1] | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0 | Unknown | ||
Bulgaria | 0 | Unknown | May breed but no proof | |
Canary Islands | 0 | Extinct 1970s | ||
Cape Verde | 2000 | 1? | 50–75 pairs late 1980s; effectively extinct | |
Croatia | 0 | Unknown | 2–5 pairs 1980s | |
Czech Republic | 2013 | 165–185 | Extinct late 19th century, recolonised 1975 | |
Denmark | 2021 | 300–350[67] | Extinct c. 1920, then recolonised (from Germany/Sweden) 1970s. Slow increase up until the early 2000s (17 known pairs in 2001), since then rapidly increasing[1] | |
England | 2011 | c. 2,000 | Extinct 1870s, reintroduced 1989–1992, recovering | |
Estonia | 1989 | <1 | Unknown | |
France | 2018 | 3,000–3,900 | Rapidly declined from the 1980s until around 2010, since then stable or perhaps increasing locally[1] | |
Germany | 2018 | 14,000–16,000 | 15,000–25,000 pairs 1980s; declined up until around 2000, populations subsequently stabilised[1] | |
Greece | 0 | |||
Hungary | c. 1998 | 1+ | 30 pairs 1950s | |
Ireland | 2010 | 7 | First successful breeding reported in 2010 following reintroduction in 2007 | |
Italy | c. 2002 | 300–400 | 70–150 pairs late 1980s. Clear increase in the mainland in recent decades, but almost extirpated in Sicily[1] | |
Latvia | 1992 | 0–50 | Extinct 1964, then recolonised | |
Lithuania | 1988 | 1–2 | Extinct, then recolonised 1981 | |
Luxembourg | 2015 | 90 | ||
Moldova | 1990 | 1 | Unknown | |
Montenegro | 1995 | 0 | Unknown | |
Morocco | 2020 | 0 | Last breeding pair in 2004; rare winter visitor[1] | |
Netherlands | 2018 | 15–20[68] | Extinct 1852, recolonised 1970s, but highly irregular until 2008, since then regular and increasing | |
Northern Ireland | 2010 | 5 | First successful breeding reported in 2010 following reintroduction in 2008 | |
North Macedonia | 0 | Unknown | ||
Norway | 1980 | 0 | Bred occasionally in the 19th century | |
Poland | 2012 | 1,500–1,800[1] | 400–450 pairs 1980s | |
Portugal | c. 1995 | 100–200 | Appears to have rapidly decreased in recent decades, but accurate data lacking[1] | |
Romania | 1995 | 15–20 | Unknown | |
Russia | 1992 | 0–50 | Unknown | |
Scotland | 2009 | 135 | Extinct 1886, reintroduced 1989–1992 | |
Serbia | Unknown | |||
Slovakia | 1992 | 10–20 | Unknown | |
Spain | 2018 | 2,312–2,440 | 10,000 pairs 1977 | |
Sweden | 2020 | 1,900–2,200[69] | Increase from the low-point of 30–50 pairs in the 1970s[1] | |
Switzerland | 2013–2016 | 2,800–3,500 | Declined 19th century, later recovery; 235–300 pairs in the late 1980s, 800–1,000 pairs in 1995. | |
Tunisia | 0 | Bred in the 19th century, now extinct | ||
Turkey | 0 | Unknown | May have bred in past but no firm evidence | |
Ukraine | 1990 | 5–8 | ||
Wales | 2009 | c. 1,000 | Declined to two pairs in the 1930s, then recovery |
Observation
One of the best places to see the red kite in Scandinavia is Scania in southern Sweden. It may be observed in one of its breeding locations such as the Kullaberg Nature Preserve near Mölle.[70] In Switzerland, they are a common sight in all rural areas, excluding the Alps and its foothills.[citation needed]
Some of the best places to see them in the United Kingdom are Gigrin Farm near
See also
References
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- ^ "Summary of Ringing Totals - Longevity records 2021". British Trust for Ornithology. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "One of the first red kites released into Thames Valley dies". BBC News Online. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ a b c Ferguson-Lees, James, and David A. Christie. Raptors of the world. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2001.
- ^ J. T. GARCÍA; J. VIÑUELA; C. SUNYER (1998). Geographic variation of the winter diet of the Red Kite Milvus milvus in the Iberian Peninsula. , 140(2), 302–309.
- ^ Wildman, L., L. O'Toole, and R. W. Summers. "The diet and foraging behaviour of the Red Kite in northern Scotland." Scottish Birds 19 (1998): 134-140.
- ^ Korpimäki, Erkki, and Kai Norrdahl. "Avian predation on mustelids in Europe 1: occurrence and effects on body size variation and life traits." Oikos (1989): 205-215.
- ^ Pugh, Elfyn. "The Red Kite". Birds of Britain. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
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- ^ "Red Kites and poisons". Yorkshire Red Kites. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ Carrell, Severin (3 April 2014). "Scottish bird of prey colony hit by mass poisonings". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ "Wildlife crime soars". The Herald Series. 12 September 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
In Didcot, poisoned rabbits were laid out as bait disguised as road-kill, targeting red kites
- ^ Trivedi, Shruti. "Fresh warning over red kite 'attacks' in Higginson Park, Marlow". Bucks Free Press Online. Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ a b Evans, I.M.; Pienkowski, M.W. (1991). "World status of the Red Kite". Brit. Birds. 94: 171–187.
- ^ "Red Kites decline in Europe". Welsh Kite Trust. Archived from the original on 8 November 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2007.
- ^ "Fugleart sætter rekord i Danmark: - Det er helt fantastisk". TV2. 11 January 2022.
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- ^ "Grafisk handbok - Tomelilla kommun" (PDF). tomelilla.se. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ a b "BBC Radio 4, Debating Animals, Series 2, The Kestrel and Red Kite by Rod Liddle".
- ^ Atrill, Rod. "The Red Kite in West Wales". New Quay on Cardigan Bay in West Wales. Rod Attrill. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- ^ McCarthy, Michael (23 March 2007). "Book Review:Silent Field, By Roger Lovegrove: songbirds versus shotguns". The Independent. London: Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
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- ^ a b Schurmer, Michael (November 2002). "Breeding Bird Survey of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 2002" (PDF). RSPB. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
- ^ McCarthy, Michael. "Red kite makes triumphant return in England and Scotland but numbers decline elsewhere". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
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- ^ "Red kite chicks from Northamptonshire released to wild". BBC. 17 August 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
- ^ McCarthy, Michael (13 January 2006). "Shakespeare's red kite returns to London after an absence of 150 years". The Independent on Sunday. Independent News and Media Limited. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
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- ^ Carter, Ian (2001). The Red Kite. Chelmsford, UK: Arlequin Press.
- ^ Cramp 1980, p. 38.
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- ^ "Red Kite numbers soar to new high". The Scotsman. 28 September 2008. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Carter, Ian (2009): The Red Kite. presentation to the Cambridgeshire Bird Club, Cambridge, UK, 13 November 2009.
- ^ Bstian, M., 2016. Soaring kites in Luxembourg... for how much longer? In: 33e réunion annuelle des collaborateurs scientifiques du Musée national d'histoire naturelle, Luxembourg March 19, 2016. Programm and Abstracts.
- ^ Uhl, H. (2019). "Artenschutzprojekt für den Rotmilan (Milvus milvus) und dessen Wiederbesiedlung Oberösterreichs". Vogelkdl. Nachr. Österreich. 27: 37–54.
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Sources
- ISBN 978-0-19-857505-4.
Further reading
- Carter, Ian; Grice, Phil (2000). "Studies of re-established Red Kites in England". British Birds. 93: 304–322.
- Evans, Ian M. (1997). "The re-establishment of Red Kite breeding populations in Scotland and England". British Birds. 90: 123–138.
- Mougeot, François; Bretagnolle, Vincent (2006). "Breeding biology of the Red Kite Milvus milvus in Corsica". Ibis. 148 (3): 436–448. S2CID 55220709.
- Newton, I.; Davis, P.E.; Davis, J.E. (1989). "Age of first breeding, dispersal and survival of Red Kites Milvus milvus in Wales". Ibis. 131 (1): 16–21. .
- Turner, William (1903) [1544]. Turner on birds: a short and succinct history of the principal birds noticed by Pliny and Aristotle first published by Doctor William Turner, 1544 (in Latin and English). Translated by Evans, A.H. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 117.
- Viñuela, Javier; Bustamante, Javier (1992). "Effect of growth and hatching asynchrony on the fledging age of black and red kites" (PDF). Auk. 109 (4): 748–757. JSTOR 4088150.
- Walters Davies, P.; Davis, P.E. (1973). "The ecology and conservation of the Red Kite in Wales" (PDF). British Birds. 66: 183–224, 241-270.
- Willughby, Francis (1678). "The Kite or Glead: Milvus carda forcipata". The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton in the county of Warwick. London: John Martyn. pp. 74–75.
External links
- Friends of Red Kites - Details about the reintroduced kites in the Derwent Valley, Gateshead
- Red kite media from ARKive
- BBC Wales Nature - Red Kite footage
- BBC Report about this bird's redemption in UK culture from a hated shithawk to a beloved bird
- The Welsh Kite Trust - includes UK breeding reports
- About Red Kites - includes latest figures available in UK
- Details Red Kites in the Chilterns - about the reintroduced kites in the Chilterns
- Red Kites in Yorkshire
- Red Kites in Berkshire (Berkshire Ornithological Club) - 2006/2007 Survey
- Adult and juvenile Red Kite wing identification images (PDF; 5.6 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Archived 20 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine
- "Red kite media". Internet Bird Collection.
- Red kite photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
- Interactive range map of Milvus milvus at IUCN Red List maps