by John Welford

Created on: November 06, 2009

The red kite (milvus milvus) is a spectacular bird of prey that has been the subject of a long, complex, and ultimately successful story in terms of UK conservation.

The red kite is about 60 centimetres (24 inches) in length, which makes it slightly larger than the buzzard. Its wing span is around 150 centimetres (59 inches. It has a noticeably forked tail and broad wings that are set forward in flight.

The plumage, which is similar as between males and females, is conspicuously reddish-brown, except for the pale head. When in flight, the red kite is easily spotted from the white patches on the undersides of the wings towards the ends. The wings are reddish-brown on the leading edge and darker on the trailing edge.

The call is high and shrill, almost like that of a seabird.

The flight is graceful, with long, deep flaps of the wings. Red kites will glide and soar with the wings held forward and the tail twisting and flexing. They have an elaborate courtship flight with the pair crossing each other's paths. However, they take prey on the ground, often swooping from a perch on a tree branch.

The nest is built in April or May, usually in a high tree close to a woodland edge. The nest is typical for a large raptor, being up to a metre across and composed of sticks and twigs lined with whatever softer material can be found. All sorts of strange items have been found in kite nests, including such man-made things as small toys. Red kites sometimes use the old nests of other large birds.

The clutch consists of two to four eggs which the female incubates alone for up to 30 days. The young stay in the nest for up to 50 days, being fed constantly by both parents. Only one brood is raised per season.

The food is varied, including small mammals and birds, frogs, lizards, invertebrates and carrion.

The red kite was once a common British bird, and was indeed under royal protection in the Middle Ages, but over the centuries it was driven to extinction in most of the country, with the population limited to a small area in mid Wales. Red kites suffered a great deal from deliberate and accidental poisoning, loss of habitat, and the activities of egg collectors. It has been blamed for threatening game birds, and persecuted for this reason, but the charge is a false one.

Efforts to preserve the species and extend its range date back to 1903, which makes this the world's longest continuous conservation project.

Efforts have been directed at introducing breeding pairs from

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