adult

adult upperwing European distribution flying

Identification

Even in silhouette this Kite is unmistakable, with long, relatively pointed wings angled to create an "M" shape and a long deeply forked tail with pointed corners. At closer range you can enjoy the rich red of its underparts and especially the almost orange colour of its uppertail, tipped with black corners.

Habitat

Breeds in steep-sided valleys with mature woodland. Winters on uplands in open country.

Migration

Populations from north and central Europe are migratory, mainly wintering around the Mediterranean basin. The British population is mostly sedentary.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Red Kite is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Watlington, Oxon 30/08/2010	Watlington, Oxon 30/08/2010	Watlington, Oxon 22/08/2010	Gigrin Fm, Powys 19/08/2010	Goring, Oxon 15/08/2010
Bulwick, Northants 15/08/2010	Harewood, W Yorks 15/08/2010	Harewood, W Yorks 15/08/2010	Gigrin Fm, Powys 04/07/2010	Gigrin Fm, Powys 02/06/2010

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Red Kite breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
France
Germany
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Moldova
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

http://www.redkites.net	Edit this link
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BTO BirdFacts: Red Kite	Edit this link
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http://friendsofredkites.org.uk/   Friends of Red Kites	Edit this link
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http://www.gigrin.co.uk/   Gigrin Farm Red Kite Feeding Station	Edit this link
One of the best places to see Red Kites in Wales.	Broken link
RSPB Species page for Red Kite	Edit this link
Habitat, distribution, food, calls, etc.	Broken link
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	RSPB: Red Kite recovery in north Scotland put in jeopardy by illegal killing	Monday 19th April 2010
	New research shows Black Isle population should be at least 250 pairs larger in absence of killing.   read on
	RSPB: Europe’s Red Kites in peril	Friday 20th November 2009
	Call for action as poisons kill birds from across the continent.   read on
	Red Kites come out of the blue and fly into the black	Sunday 2nd August 2009
	A roaring economic success through some outstanding work by the Northern Kite Project. Every reintroduction should learn something from this scheme.   read on
	RSPB: Red Kites restored across Scotland	Thursday 16th July 2009
	Maureen Watt MSP set to seal Scottish conservation success story.   read on
	RSPB: Red Kite numbers are soaring across the UK	Monday 15th September 2008
	A rise in the numbers of breeding birds and fledged young points towards a successful ongoing recovery for these iconic birds.   read on
	RSPB: Shock and condemnation as Red Kite is killed	Monday 8th September 2008
	A Red Kite has been found shot dead in Northern Ireland soon after release.   read on
	Shot Red Kite makes miraculous recovery	Monday 23rd June 2008
	Further evidence of the persecution of these magnificent birds comes to light.   read on
	Kite conundrums	Thursday 8th May 2008
	Detective work by Andrew Easton sheds light on some curious kites in East Anglia.
	RSPB: 'Catch the Kite!'	Friday 2nd March 2007
	Three years after they were successfully reintroduced to the North East, the region's Red Kite population is set to soar with the arrival of a few new faces.   read on
	A Kite's Tail - The Northern Kites Project	Friday 23rd June 2006
	In the northeast of England, Red Kites have not bred for over 170 years. Now they are back! A pair have successfully hatched at least two chicks in a nest less than two miles from the Gateshead Metrocentre and a Kite Watchpoint has been set up to allow the public to see these brilliant birds.   read on
	Back from the Brink. No 9: Red Kite	Wednesday 12th April 2006
	The ninth of our articles based on a RSPB booklet charting the recovery of some of the UK's rarest breeding birds. Here we look at Red Kite, a species whose re-introduction has produced spectacular results.   read on
	First Red Kites Return to Northeast Skies	Monday 12th July 2004
	One of the UK's rarest and most spectacular birds returned to the skies over north-east England for the first time in more than 150 years today.   read on
	Northern Kites set to return after 150-year absence	Thursday 4th December 2003
	Plans to reintroduce Red Kites to North East England have received a huge boost with the announcement that the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded a grant of more than £300,000 to the North East Red Kite Project.   read on

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