Red Kite – answers
The red kite is one of the larger birds seen in the skies of this area, but can often be confused with a buzzard. To tell the difference, look at the tail, a kite has a forked tail and the buzzard has a fan shaped tail. The wings of the red kite also look like David Suchet’s moustache in the Hercule Poirot dramas!
Despite their size, a red kite mainly eats carrion and worms, but will also take small mammals if the opportunity arises.
The red kite mainly makes its nest high in the fork of branches of trees using twigs lined with sheep’s wool and grass. But here’s an interesting fact: just before the eggs are laid, kites like to decorate their nests with rubbish and oddments they find nearby such as paper, rags, crisp packets, carrier bags, even underwear and toys have been found.
A red kite wingspan is between 175cm and 195cm but the bird is surprisingly light, weighing only 900g, which is less than a bag of sugar.
The red kites you see over the reserve (as well as most of the UK) are part of a reintroduction programme started in the late 1980s. This has been one of the most successful conservation projects in the UK.
You can find out more about this amazing bird at the following websites:
We hope you have enjoyed our questions and answers, and if you would like to know more about other animals, check out the other nature trail posts around the reserve.