Red kites settling into life in the Lake District

REINTRODUCED: Red kites are now making a comeback

Soon to be released into the wild

July 2010: Thirty young red kites that are being reintroduced into North West England are doing well, say wildlife experts.
The Forestry Commission is spearheading a three-year project to reintroduce the magnificent bird of prey into the region at Grizedale Forest - the last red kite reintroduction project in England.

Last month Forestry Commission wildlife rangers from Grizedale brought the birds, soon after hatching, from Rockingham Forest in Northamptonshire. The kites are currently being held in a specially built holding pen secretly located in Grizedale. The forest's team of experts are looking after them until they reach a size where they are ready to fly and care for themselves.

‘The birds are settled in nicely and all are doing well,' said Forestry Commission wildlife ranger Iain Yoxall, who is managing the reintroduction. ‘They are currently about nine weeks old and we would envisage releasing them at around ten to 12 weeks old.

‘All are fully feathered with well-developed flight feathers and characteristic forked tails. We will be fitting them with wing tags later this week which refer to the release area and year and, along with radio transmitters, will help us monitor them after they have been released,' he said. 

WELL SETTLED: The young red kites at Grizedale

A spectacular addition to the wonderful diversity of life

The birds are being fed a variety of food including grey squirrel, young crows, magpies, jackdaws and rabbit, although road-killed mallard and pheasants have also been provided. The Grizedale programme is the ninth reintroduction of red kites into different regions of the UK, and the final phase of reintroductions in England. Red kites were almost eradicated from the UK following changes in farming practices and human persecution between the 16th and 19th Centuries. However they managed to cling on in mid Wales and their numbers recovered slowly thanks to the actions of local conservationists. Now the birds are beginning to thrive again following conservation efforts.

NEW HOME: The red kites are being cared for until they are old enough to be released into the wild

Red kites being introduced into Grizedale are the product of a reintroduction programme that took place in Northamptonshire in the Eighties.

A special advisory group has been established, containing bird experts from organisations like Natural England, the RSPB, Cumbria Raptor Study Group and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, to help ensure the project's success.

Red kites are a rust-red colour and have white patches under their wings. They are primarily a scavenger and feed mostly on carrion. They breed from around the age of two years and usually pair for life.

Graeme Prest, from the Forestry Commission in the North West, said: ‘It is great to see the red kites settling in so well at their new home in Grizedale. The Forestry Commission manages 24,000 hectares of public woodland across the North West of England to the highest international standards. These woodlands are home to wonderful wildlife, from ospreys to red squirrels to rare butterflies and orchids, and the red kites are a spectacular addition to the wonderful diversity of wildlife we have here at Grizedale.'