Red Kite Recovery and Ongoing Welfare

The recovery of red kites in the UK is one of conservation's great success stories, though ongoing welfare challenges including poisoning and lead exposure remain.

Key Facts

Red kites were reintroduced to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland from Spanish and Welsh populations
The UK now hosts one of the largest red kite populations in the world
Secondary poisoning from rodenticides and lead in shot carcasses remains a significant mortality cause
Deliberate illegal poisoning of raptors continues to be a welfare and conservation concern in some areas

Welfare Considerations

Red kite welfare in recovered populations is primarily threatened by toxic contamination. As scavengers that consume carrion including gamebird carcasses shot with lead ammunition, red kites regularly ingest lead fragments that cause neurological symptoms, weakness, and death from lead toxicosis. Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides are accumulated in the small mammals and carrion that kites eat, causing internal bleeding. Deliberate poisoning using alpha-chloralose or other compounds is illegal but continues. Each of these causes significant suffering — lead toxicosis over weeks, rodenticide poisoning over days — before death. Switching to lead-free ammunition and reducing rodenticide use are the most impactful welfare interventions.

What You Can Do

Report any sick or dead red kites to wildlife rescue organizations immediately
Use only non-lead ammunition when hunting, or advocate for others to do so
Avoid second-generation rodenticides and use alternative pest control methods
Support wildlife crime investigation units working to address deliberate raptor poisoning