Wild Animal Welfare

Wild Red Kite Poisoning and Recovery

Red kites have made a remarkable UK recovery from reintroduction, but illegal poisoning remains a welfare and conservation threat to individual birds.

Key Facts

Red kites were reintroduced to England from Wales in 1989 and have expanded dramatically
Secondary poisoning from rodenticide-contaminated prey remains a significant mortality cause
Illegal poisoning (carbofuran, brodifacoum) intentionally targeting kites is still occurring
Satellite tracking reveals suspicious disappearances consistent with illegal persecution
Over 1,500 red kites now breed in England, with established populations from Scotland to Cornwall

Welfare Considerations

Individual red kites poisoned by illegal bait or secondary rodenticide die suffering deaths. Each poisoning event causes real individual suffering and undermines conservation success. Reporting suspected poisoning and advocating for stronger enforcement are direct welfare interventions.

What You Can Do

Report suspected raptor poisoning to the RSPB and police wildlife crime unit
Advocate for second-generation rodenticide restrictions to reduce secondary poisoning
Support the RSPB Investigations team working on wildlife crime detection