Wild Birds

Red Kite Welfare and the Poisoning Legacy

The red kite is one of conservation greatest success stories, reintroduced to England in 1989 after centuries of persecution and now widespread, yet poisoning remains the primary welfare threat preventing full population recovery.

Key Facts

Red kites were reintroduced from Spanish birds to the Chilterns in 1989 and from Welsh birds to other English and Scottish regions
The UK population has grown to over 10,000 birds across multiple expanding populations
Red kites are primarily scavengers, feeding on carrion, earthworms, and small mammals
They are remarkably agile for their size, using their forked tail to manoeuvre with exceptional precision
Illegal poisoning remains the leading cause of death in all UK red kite populations

Welfare Considerations

Red kite welfare continues to be severely compromised by deliberate illegal poisoning using carbofuran and other banned substances placed in bait or carcasses on farmland and estates. Post-mortem data consistently identifies poisoning as the most common cause of death. Secondary poisoning from anticoagulant rodenticides is an additional chronic welfare threat. Road mortality while feeding on roadkill is increasing as populations expand into urban-fringe areas.

What You Can Do

Report any suspected red kite poisoning to police and RSPB Wildlife Crime Unit immediately
Never use carbofuran or other banned pesticides that kill scavenging birds
Support Red Kite safe feeding stations that reduce exposure to roadside poisoning risks
Contribute red kite sightings to RSPB monitoring programs to track population expansion
Engage with campaigns for mandatory lead ammunition replacement to reduce secondary poisoning