Red kites have recovered magnificently following reintroduction but remain highly vulnerable to lead poisoning from shot ammunition in carrion, causing ongoing welfare harm to individual birds.
Red kite lead poisoning welfare is acutely visible - affected birds found suffering from neurological symptoms are in clear distress. The progression from elevated blood lead to clinical poisoning involves progressive weakness, disorientation, and inability to fly or feed, typically over days. Many poisoned kites are found moribund rather than dead, meaning the welfare harm includes prolonged suffering. The source is clearly identified - lead gunshot fragments in deer, rabbit, and corvid carcasses left in fields - and the solution is available: non-lead ammunition. The resistance to mandatory phase-out reflects shooting community concern about costs and performance rather than any genuine welfare or conservation argument against the switch.