The red kite was reintroduced to England in 1989 after disappearing as a breeding bird.
Red kites had once been widespread in Britain, but persecution and the use of poisons caused severe declines. By the late nineteenth century, they had disappeared as breeding birds from England and Scotland, although a small population survived in Wales.
In 1989, conservationists began a major reintroduction programme in England using birds from continental Europe. Additional releases followed in several regions, including the Chilterns, Yorkshire, and the Midlands. The birds adapted well, and breeding numbers increased steadily.
The red kite is now one of Britain’s most visible conservation successes. Its deeply forked tail helps distinguish it from the similar-looking buzzard, and its broad wings make it easy to identify soaring over farmland and woodland edges.