Red kite supplementary feeding stations support population recovery and provide welfare benefits during cold winter periods when natural carrion is scarce.
Red kite supplementary feeding provides direct welfare benefits to individual birds during winter food scarcity. Kites that cannot find natural carrion face starvation, particularly juveniles in their first winter. Feeding stations that provide clean, uncontaminated food reduce winter mortality and support healthy body condition entering the breeding season. The key welfare risk is feeding contaminated meat - particular vigilance about lead-free and pesticide-free food sources is essential.