Red Kites 'a danger to people', claims councillor

Red Kites have been described as 'a danger to people' by a town councillor amid a campaign to stop the feeding of the raptor.

Councillor Steve Holder, chair of parks and gardens for Wallingford Town Council, said the birds "act as a danger to people and children". His comments come amid the start of a new poster campaign to discourage people from feeding Red Kites in the Oxfordshire town.

Red Kite is thriving in much of England following a reintroduction programme in the 1990s (Steve Laycock).

Mr Holder claimed his department is getting increasingly frequent reports of attacks on people in open spaces. He said: "People will be walking through the park with their sandwiches and Red Kites are swooping down on them because they're going for the food.

"There have been a couple of people that have had their heads and hands scratched. Please stop feeding them. They're an amazing animal to watch in the sky so it's just making sure they don't become like the seagull."