Tag: red kite

red kite poisoned nr Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway

The bodies of dead red kites that have been poisoned or shot are becoming more common in the Scottish landscape.

A dead red kite found in January 2008 on a farm near Laurieston, nine miles north of Castle Douglas in Dumfries & Galloway, had been poisoned with Carbofuran.

Re-introduced kites in this area, as well as other areas in Scotland, have been heavily targeted by poisoners who mistakenly think that the birds are a threat to their gamebirds. Red kites feed mainly on carrion (animals that have already died), worms and insects. They are highly susceptible to poisoning because they eat so much carrion, so it is easy for someone to stake out a poisoned bait in an area where kites forage for food.

No-one has been found responsible for the death of this red kite.

Further info: http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Poisoned-kite-sparks-fear-of.3705255.jp

Red kite poisoned at Castlehill, nr Dumfries

Red kites are being reintroduced throughout the UK after persecution wiped them out from large parts of their former range.

A red kite found dead on a road at Castlehill near Dumfries on 8 January 2010 had been poisoned. The bird, less than one year old, is the 15th poisoned red kite found in Dumfries & Galloway from a reintroduced population. An investigation is underway. Further info: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/birdsofprey/Dead-red-kite-is-the.6049123.jp

Red kite shot nr Braco, Perthshire

An x-ray of the injured kite revealed a broken wing and 5 shotgun pellets lodged in the body.

A red kite is recovering after being found with gunshot wounds near the village of Braco, Perthshire. The bird was found by a walker in December 2009. An x-ray revealed a broken wing and five shotgun pellets lodged in its body. No arrests have been made. Further information: http://news.stv.tv/scotland/143113-red-kite-shot-in-rural-perthshire/

Poisoned bait found on Raeshaw Estate, nr Peebles

Red kites, like buzzards, are easy targets for poisoners as their diet includes lots of carrion.

According to an article in The Guardian, poisoned bait was found on the Raeshaw Estate in the Moorfoot hills, near Peebles, in June 2009, during a police raid. The raid followed the discovery of a poisoned red kite on neighbouring land. Several injured dogs were found during the raid and were removed by the SSPCA, who suspected they had been used for badger baiting. Further information can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jun/15/police-raid-red-kite

In 2004, the bodies of nine raptors (5 barn owls, 2 buzzards, 1 kestrel & 1 tawny owl) were found dead on Raeshaw Estate (see here). Nobody was ever prosecuted.