![]() Scottish birds have been located in Ireland, England and on several occasions in Iberia. On average about a quarter of the juvenile red kites from the north and central Scotland red kite populations disperse, largely in a south westerly direction, in their first winter. In Scotland, most adult breeding red kites are sedentary, although they will make short distance movements in response to poor weather. During the period 1999-2006, an estimated 166 red kites from the Black Isle population were illegally poisoned and differential rates of illegal poisoning are confirmed to explain the difference between growth rates of the two red kite populations (Smart et al. In 2012 there were only 52 pairs laying eggs in the Black Isle area, whereas by comparison the Chilterns population in the south of England (which involved release of the same initial number of birds, and the established populations have similar productivity), now stands at between 9 breeding pairs. The Black Isle population of red kites has suffered in particular from illegal persecution. Red kites are primarily scavengers in Scotland, although they will also take some live prey including voles, other small mammals and birds. The greatest threat to the Scottish red kite reintroduction remains illegal persecution (notably illegal poisoning), despite the fact that red kites pose little or no threats to any land use interests. It is expected that in the next few years, for example, that the populations of central Scotland and Aberdeen will join up in the Angus area. From wing tagging data we know that there is good interchange, and some interbreeding of birds, between the various established release and now wild breeding populations. Increasingly, and as planned, the range of red kites in Scotland is increasing, notably in Perthshire and Dumfries and Galloway. The long term mean productivity of the Scottish red kite population is 1.8 young per pair laying eggs, which is at the top end of the European range for this species. The number of breeding pairs of red kites in Scotland has doubled every 4-6 years. This is thought to be close to an accurate population estimate, although a few breeding pairs may be missed each year. In 2012 there were 214 breeding pairs of red kites in Scotland and 318 young were fledged. As populations of red kites have become larger SRSG members have also become increasingly involved in the annual monitoring effort. The reintroduced birds have been closely monitored by RSPB Scotland staff using radio and wing tagging techniques. Finally, between 20 101 red kites were released on the outskirts of Aberdeen with donor stock from the Chilterns and from central Scotland. In order to re-establish red kites in the south of Scotland, between 20 104 birds were released near Laurieston (Dumfries and Galloway), using donor stock from north Scotland and the Chilterns reintroduction project in England. This initial reintroduction was followed by a second reintroduction programme in central Scotland (Doune, near Stirling) between 19, releasing 103 birds of eastern German origin. Between 19, 93 red kites of Swedish origin were reintroduced on the Black Isle (Ross-shire). ![]() Clues to their former presence live on in old place names, particularly with the old Scots name for the red kite (the Gled), in names such as Gladhouse (Lothian), Gledfield (Highland) and Gledsmuir (Borders).Ä«etween 19 a joint RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage project was undertaken to reintroduce red kites to Scotland, with the ambition of restoring the bird eventually to all of its former range in the country. Most of the last documented breeding attempts in Scotland were in the Highlands in the 1870-1880s and there is one later record of a pair nesting in Glen Garry (Lochaber) in 1917 (Baxter and Rintoul). The red kite was formerly an abundant and widely distributed species in the country prior to this time. The red kite became extinct as a Scottish breeding bird species in the late nineteenth century, primarily due to human persecution by sporting estates, the taxidermy trade and egg collecting.
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