Buch 145 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Seen a few threads about BoP recently and was wondering is any one would know the answer to a few questions i have regarding Red Kites. I drive up and down the M40 fairly regularly and see a lot of them. Why is there so many next to the M40 and seemingly a lot less further a field? Does some one feed them? What is the effect that large numbers of red kites have on things like the corvid population as i imagine there is a fairly high amount of competition between the two? Also how do they affect numbers of released birds, ground nesting birds ect ect? Are they more or less of a problem than corvids? Hopefully some of you knowledgeable people will be able to cast a ray of light on it for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pip1968 2,490 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 i think their more of a carrion eater like the buzzard but will take other game Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pip1968 2,490 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 i think their more of a carrion eater like the buzzard but will take other game Red Kites are scavengers, drifting around on their long, buoyant, wings looking for food items on the ground. They do not have the strength or power associated with some bird of prey species, which rely primarily on their hunting skills for survival. Although they are capable of taking small live items such as mice and voles, kites mainly rely on carrion – things which are already dead – as their basic food supply. They are quite often reluctant to land, snatching up their food from the ground and either feeding on the wing or taking it into a tree, to feed on whilst perched. If the food item is too large to carry off, they may land on the ground – but they are very wary and will generally wait until crows have fed on it first, as though making sure that it’s not a trap! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
walshie 2,804 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Don't think anyone's feeding them on the M40. I saw on TV there's a place in Wales where someone has been feeding them for years. The red kites know when it's feeding time and come from miles away for any easy meal. The crows stand well back while the kites are feeding. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pip1968 2,490 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Don't think anyone's feeding them on the M40. I saw on TV there's a place in Wales where someone has been feeding them for years. The red kites know when it's feeding time and come from miles away for any easy meal. The crows stand well back while the kites are feeding. i think its called gigrin farm walshie and they feed them chopped up chickens 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
walshie 2,804 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Don't think anyone's feeding them on the M40. I saw on TV there's a place in Wales where someone has been feeding them for years. The red kites know when it's feeding time and come from miles away for any easy meal. The crows stand well back while the kites are feeding. i think its called gigrin farm walshie and they feed them chopped up chickens Who's been watching springwatch then? Knew it was called something like that. Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tictac 218 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 They were first released 1 mile from m40 nothing to see 30 or 40 10 mins from where I live Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Outlaw Pete 2,224 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 4th July, 1999. River Conwy. I saw a genuine, wild bred, Red Kite. No wing tags. No chopped chickens. Just this gorgeous specimen of the genuine article. Used to have them in London at one time. Shakespeare or Pepes, somebody like that, wrote of them swooping down around London Bridge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnny boy68 11,726 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Don't think anyone's feeding them on the M40. I saw on TV there's a place in Wales where someone has been feeding them for years. The red kites know when it's feeding time and come from miles away for any easy meal. The crows stand well back while the kites are feeding. i think its called gigrin farm walshie and they feed them chopped up chickens Who's been watching springwatch then? Knew it was called something like that. Cheers. I was working by there a while back, you can go watch them feeding them, it costs 4. though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
walshie 2,804 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Don't think anyone's feeding them on the M40. I saw on TV there's a place in Wales where someone has been feeding them for years. The red kites know when it's feeding time and come from miles away for any easy meal. The crows stand well back while the kites are feeding. i think its called gigrin farm walshie and they feed them chopped up chickens Who's been watching springwatch then? Knew it was called something like that. Cheers. I was working by there a while back, you can go watch them feeding them, it costs 4. though. I'd love to see that. Over a fence! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnny boy68 11,726 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Don't think anyone's feeding them on the M40. I saw on TV there's a place in Wales where someone has been feeding them for years. The red kites know when it's feeding time and come from miles away for any easy meal. The crows stand well back while the kites are feeding. i think its called gigrin farm walshie and they feed them chopped up chickens Who's been watching springwatch then? Knew it was called something like that. Cheers. I was working by there a while back, you can go watch them feeding them, it costs 4. though. I'd love to see that. Over a fence! I was working on a roof so had a good view. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wildling 520 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 I love watching the things flying around near me with those massive wingspans, but I have noticed that if I'm out decoying and a Red Kite shows up that the flock of pigeons seem to disappear ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
treecreeper 1,136 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 They have been released in a few places, iv seen them from the M40, New Galloway and Northumberland. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 4th July, 1999. River Conwy. I saw a genuine, wild bred, Red Kite. No wing tags. No chopped chickens. Just this gorgeous specimen of the genuine article. Used to have them in London at one time. Shakespeare or Pepes, somebody like that, wrote of them swooping down around London Bridge. I remember hearing/reading they were as common as crows are today in the cities and population centres hundreds of years ago when sanitation and public health wasn't up to much. There'd have been loads for them to eat by way of carrion and rats.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kirstysdad 827 Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 used to be common in london and will be again see them a lot on m40 but they are now with in the m25 seen them twice now on a40 near uxbridge with in m25 also see one on m1 by a5 turn of on saturday near luton Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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