Rescued British Red Kites Soar to New Heights in Spain

In a remarkable conservation story, British red kites are now being released in the remote hills of western Spain to help revive the dwindling population there. Nearly four decades ago, the birds were extinct in England and Scotland, with just a few pairs left in Wales. However, a successful reintroduction program in the late 1980s and early 1990s has seen the UK's red kite population soar to over 6,000 mating pairs, or about 15% of the world's population.

Now, as part of a four-year project, British-born red kite chicks, mostly from Northamptonshire, are being transported to the Extremadura region of Spain, where the population has dwindled to fewer than 50 mating pairs due to predators and human factors such as illegal poisoning and electrocution. More than 120 chicks have been collected and about 30 exported each year, with the goal of establishing new breeding pairs and increasing the species' numbers in the region.

While the release of the young birds is an exciting moment, it is also a nerve-racking time for the conservation team, as the mortality rate for raptors in their first years is high. Predators like eagle owls have been responsible for killing half of the project's newly released red kite chicks, prompting the team to adapt their release strategies. Illegal poisoning also remains a major threat, with experts saying the figures represent just the "tip of the iceberg" in terms of illegal persecution.