Wildlife Welfare

Wild Red Kite Urban Welfare

Red kites have expanded into urban and suburban areas following population recovery, creating new welfare considerations as they interact with human environments.

Key Facts

UK red kite population has grown from 5 birds in 1989 to over 10,000 today
Urban kites scavenge from bird tables and rubbish, sometimes consuming harmful material
Secondary rodenticide poisoning is a continuing welfare and mortality threat even in urban areas
Supplementary feeding of kites is controversial but provides welfare benefits in hard winters
Kites banding studies track individual welfare and survival in recovering populations

Welfare Considerations

Urban red kite welfare benefits from abundant scavenging opportunities but faces novel risks including toxic food, rodenticide exposure, and traffic. Understanding how urban kites use human environments enables targeted welfare interventions for this recovered population.

What You Can Do

Avoid using second-generation rodenticides that poison kites through their prey
Report red kite casualties to the Red Kite Monitoring Programme
Do not feed red kites food containing string or plastic that can cause crop impaction