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Katharine Da Costa reports on the release of over 120 British-born red kite chicks in southern Spain. The chicks, raised in remote hills in western Spain, are set free at six months old, experiencing their first taste of freedom as they soar through the sky above the wilderness. This initiative marks the culmination of a successful conservation effort that has seen the red kite population flourish after facing extinction in England, Scotland, and Wales nearly 40 years ago.
Initially driven by the scarcity of red kites in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a reintroduction project brought red kite chicks from Spain and Sweden to the Chilterns in the UK, specifically the Oxfordshire-Buckinghamshire border. Dr Ian Evans, a pivotal figure in the project, reflects on the early uncertainty surrounding the release of the chicks, which ultimately led to the establishment of breeding pairs blooming in England and Scotland by 1991. Today, the red kite population in the UK is estimated to consist of over 6,000 mating pairs, representing approximately 15% of the global population.
The current venture focuses on revitalizing the red kite population in south-west Spain, where factors like predation by the eagle owl and human interference through poisoning and electrocution have led to a dwindling population of less than 50 mating pairs. With special licenses granted by Natural England, a four-year effort has seen the collection and transfer of more than 120 red kite chicks, originating mostly from Northamptonshire, to the Extremadura region in Spain, where they are given a new lease on life.
Upon arrival in Spain, the chicks are meticulously prepared for release by a dedicated team under the guidance of ornithologist Alfonso Godino. Each chick is tagged and equipped with a GPS backpack to facilitate monitoring after being acclimatized in holding aviaries near the Portuguese border. While the project aims to bolster the red kite population, challenges remain, with only a quarter of the released birds surviving due to threats from predators and other natural causes. Efforts to enhance protection, such as adapting power cables to reduce electrocution risks, are ongoing as conservationists strive to secure a brighter future for these magnificent birds
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