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  • Red kite

Red kite

Red kite
Red kite
Red kite (juvenile)
Red kite (juvenile)
  • Scientific name: Milvus milvus
  • Bird family: Kites, hawks and eagles
  • UK conservation status: Green
  • Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Red kite call audio

Your browser does not support this audio feature.

Jens Kirkeby, xeno-canto

Key information

This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail. It was saved from national extinction by one of the world's longest-running protection programmes. It has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland. Red kites are listed under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

What they eat:

Mainly carrion and worms, but opportunistic and will occasionally take small mammals.

Measurements:

Length:
60-66cm
Wingspan:
175-195cm
Weight:
800-1,300g

Population:

UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.
UK breeding:
Estimated 4,600 pairs

Identifying features:

Red kite

Adult red kite
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey Orange Red White
Leg colour: Yellow
Beak: Black Yellow Short Hooked Powerful Chunky
Natural habitats: Woodland Farmland Upland Urban and suburban

Similar birds:

Marsh Harrier male in flight
Marsh harrier
Perched Buzzard illustration
Buzzard

Where and when to see them

At one time confined to Wales as a result of persecution, a reintroduction scheme has brought red kites back to many parts of England and Scotland. Central Wales, central England - especially the Chilterns, central Scotland - at Argaty and along the Galloway Kite Trail are the best areas to find them.

* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  • Resident
  • Passage
  • Summer
  • Winter
Red kite distribution map

You can see red kites all year round.

  • jan
  • feb
  • mar
  • apr
  • may
  • jun
  • jul
  • aug
  • sep
  • oct
  • nov
  • dec

RSPB reserves

  • RSPB Tollie Red Kites
  • RSPB Cwm Clydach
  • RSPB Hazeley Heath
  • RSPB Carngafallt
  • RSPB Ken-Dee Marshes

Video

A red kite glides effortlessly through the air

A red kite glides effortlessly through the air

A red kite flying above the rooftops
 Mute swan Cygnus olor, cygnet on adult's back seeking shelter, Langford

Save nature, donate now

  • More than 40 million birds have vanished from the UK in 50 years
  • One in ten of our wildlife is critically endangered

Within your lifetime, species such as song thrushes, cuckoos and even hedgehogs could die out altogether. As the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, the RSPB use your donations to restore habitats, protect species and save nature. Give a little today and make a big difference tomorrow. Thank you.

DONATE NOW

In more depth

Distribution and population size

Distribution and population size

Red kite conservation

Red kite conservation

Red kite nesting and breeding habits

Red kite nesting and breeding habits

Red kite population trends

Red kite population trends

Threats

Threats

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Join us

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We spend 90% of net income on conservation, public education and advocacy

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The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International.

The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International. Find out more about the partnership

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© The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654

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