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Red Kite

Milvus milvus

Not yet photographed by the community

Magnificent fork-tailed raptor; a UK conservation success story.

Species Profile

Green List (recovering); formerly Amber List due to historical decline

Lifespan: 15–20 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 60–66 cm, wingspan 175–195 cm; 600–1,100 g
Habitat: Open and semi-open landscapes including farmland, woodland edges, moorland, and valleys with scattered trees for nesting and hunting.
UK Distribution: Resident breeding population centred in central Wales and the Midlands, with expanding range into southern England and parts of northern England; year-round resident with some continental birds joining in winter.
Diet: Primarily small mammals (rabbits, voles, mice), birds, insects, and carrion; opportunistic feeder that hunts from soaring flight or perches.
Prey: Small rabbits, voles, mice, shrews, young pheasants, crows, beetles, and road-killed carrion
Predators: Golden eagles, other large raptors, and nest disturbance by humans (historical persecution); foxes and crows may take eggs or chicks
Mating Season: February to June
Breeding: Clutch of 1–3 eggs (usually 2); incubation period 30–32 days; fledging at 48–52 days; typically one brood per year
Behaviour: Highly acrobatic flyer with distinctive forked tail; often seen soaring in wide circles at considerable heights. Pairs are territorial and return to the same nest sites year after year, performing elaborate aerial displays during courtship. Predominantly solitary hunters but may gather at communal roosts.

Did You Know?

•Red kites were nearly extinct in the UK by the 1990s, with fewer than 40 breeding pairs, but reintroduction programmes have been remarkably successful—there are now over 2,000 pairs
•The distinctive russet-red plumage and deeply forked tail make them unmistakable in flight and easily recognised by birdwatchers
•They are surprisingly adaptable to human presence and have increasingly been seen around suburban areas and gardens in recent decades
•Red kites have been persecuted by gamekeepers and farmers for centuries, though they actually take very few game birds or poultry
•The species has a characteristic mewing call, quite unlike the fierce hawk screams of other raptors, which aids identification

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