Red kites are an iconic bird of prey of the Chilterns.

If you live in this area, you’ll be familiar with the sight of these magnificent birds circling in the skies. Red kites were hailed as a conservation success when they were reintroduced to the Chilterns in the 1990s. Prior to this in the 1980s they were one of just three globally threatened species in the UK, largely due to persecution.

Some people like to feed red kites in their gardens to see large numbers swooping to the ground. While this is an impressive spectacle, the Chilterns Conservation Board’s discourages feeding. The Board has had frequent complaints about red kites getting too close for comfort, stealing sandwiches from people’s picnics and dropping scraps of meat.

Here’s why we shouldn’t feed red kites:

1. Feeding encourages red kites to become far bolder than they naturally would be. Red kites have sharp claws and a six foot wingspan. If the birds become a nuisance this could change public support for the welfare of these birds – leading us back to persecution of the birds.

2. Feeding encourages concentrated numbers of kites in one area which discourages songbirds and ground nesting birds from feeding and successfully bringing up their young.

3. The scraps of uncooked and cooked meat that people feed red kites don’t present a balanced, healthy diet.

4. Red kites dropping scraps of meat onto neighbouring gardens is a health risk and attracts rats and vermin.

5. Feeding discourages red kites from expanding their range and looking for new breeding territories and sources of food. This disrupts their natural population spread.

6. Red kites can feed and thrive successfully in their natural habitat without our assistance and their natural diet is much better for them.

Red kites were persecuted almost to the point of extinction from Victorian times onwards. People mistakenly thought that they killed lambs – the reality is that they mostly feed on carrion (dead animals), weigh less than a bag of sugar and they are too weak footed to catch anything other than a small rabbit.

People were encouraged to feed the kites during their reintroduction in the 1990s, but feeding is no longer necessary now that the birds are thriving.

So please avoid feeding the red kites – it’s far better to enjoy them soaring high above our gardens or in their natural environment on a walk in the Chilterns hills.