Red Kite Recovery: From Extinction to Abundance

Red kites were reintroduced to England and Scotland from Wales in the 1990s and have become one of Britain's most visible conservation success stories.

Key Facts

Red kites were extinct in England and Scotland by 1870, surviving only in Wales
Reintroduction began in 1989 with birds from Spain and Sweden in the Chilterns
UK red kite population now exceeds 4,600 pairs across much of England, Scotland and Wales
Red kites are primarily scavengers, providing ecosystem services through carrion consumption
Illegal poisoning remains the primary conservation threat to the species

Welfare Considerations

Red kite recovery demonstrates that habitat restoration alone is insufficient for species with criminal persecution as a primary threat. Individual kites poisoned using baits intended for other species suffer acute neurological toxicity. The welfare and conservation success of red kites depends on continued enforcement against illegal poisoning, which remains common in some upland areas. Individual kites living in recovered populations now enjoy welfare conditions far better than those experienced by the small remnant Welsh population that survived centuries of persecution.

What You Can Do

Report any suspected red kite poisoning to police and the RSPB Wildlife Crime Unit
Support campaigns to strengthen penalties for raptor persecution
Advocate for compulsory recording and reporting of any red kite found dead
Never use second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides that poison raptors through the food chain