How to attract Red Kites?

[A Rural Heart]

Dear All,

Red Kites were once extremely common in our towns and cities years ago. Indeed, in Medieval times these birds kept the streets clean by scavenging in huge flocks on anything thrown out. It is also perhaps interesting to note that in my area we now see Red Kites fairly regularly flying over the village houses obviously peering down into gardens perhaps looking for easy pickings? The wheelie bin is obviously restricting this activity somewhat as very little is left out now a days so they don't hang around long.

Red Kites are scavengers first and foremost but like all birds of prey will take live prey if it presents an easy prospect. Red Kites know their territories "extremely" well and will patrol favourite sections of roads where they know road kills will be high. Roads in the countryside where large numbers of pheasants gather at the side of woods and covert's are always good because Mr and Mrs got to rush will always leave a few pheasant bodies in their wake as they rush past. Any area known for large numbers of rabbits are also very good road kill sights that these birds will visit regularly.

Personally, I would not put out bait to attract Kites, or any other bird of prey for that matter down into my garden even though my house stands in a half acre. Reasons? I am fortunate in being able to see these types of birds in their natural environment often. We also have a cat who is regularly seen dragging fully grown pheasants through the village who would I'm sure, relish the challenge of tackling a bird it often frustratingly watches circling our roof!! Then there is the valid question of rats. Make absolutely no mistake, a rat will know your dead chicken is there way before any raptor takes to the air. So will his mum, dad, brothers, sisters, grandma, grandad, uncle, aunty, and as many friends as he/she can find.

Red Kites are on the increase, there is no doubting that. It may well be they will take up their more traditional roll of interacting more with us humans if we started to leave our rubbish out again, or in this case begin to put out food to bring them down into our gardens. But whilst the Kite undoubtedly still possesses an instinctive trait for scavenging on food we used to discard, we humans have changed and altered our own life styles to a point where we put unused and discarded food items in bins with lids on. Then there is the question of do these birds actually need the food we might put out for them? No they do not. There is more than enough food for them already, Mr and Mrs road kill will see to that as they rush through leafy lane leaving clouds of dust and feathers behind.

If I "were" to embark on a project of attracting Red Kites into my garden the first thing I would do is build a feeding platform. High enough to afford the bird enough warning to take to the air should a cat or dog present a threat. Six feet high would be about right and would keep rats away if constructed properly. Plus the platform would give the birds a bit more confidence to come down being off the ground.

Another aspects to consider are these. Red Kites might only visit certain areas infrequently, so putting out bait would be a complete waste of time and effort. One would have to be "sure" they made visits regularly and by regularly I mean once a day. Plus if Kites "are" seen fairly regularly in urbanised areas, its a fair bet that their regular feeding grounds are not far away along a country lane or road where road kills frequently occur. Find these locations and you will be very surprised to learn how regularly the Kites turn up to feed.

Kind Regards,

Lee.

[KentYeti]

Originally Posted by Cordaline

You've got me sussed alright Bryan.
I don't give up on anything easily, especially something I'm passionate about.
....and, as you've seen on my 'feeder' thread, my garden birds have definitely become my new passion!

Learnt a lesson last night though.
I forgot to put the chicken in the shed over night & when I drew back the curtain this morning, it had gone!
However, what made me smile was that there was a Fox in the garden, something I've not had since I was a child. It made me feel all warm & fuzzy seeing it! Silly aren't I?!
So will get another this morning.

There is a very happy, if slghtly fat, fox in Bracknell this morning.

I'd keep putting bait out Cordaline, but take it in every night.

If you have Red Kites cicling overhead they will eventually find it. It may take time but I am sure it will be worth the wait.

I know from an earlier post on WAB that this happened some time ago in the Red Kites M40 hot spot. Someone here was invited into a local garden to watch the Red Kites come down for meat that was put out specially to attract them.

If they are doing it at one location, they will do it at another. Especially as their numbers spread. And from my very regular drives to Bakewell via the M40 it is obvious their range is spreading. To start with I only saw them in the Junction 4 and 5 area. Now it is from Junction 9 down to the M25. That latter Junction was the highlight of my last run back from Bakewell in December. A Red Kite circling over the M25! Just hope it doesn't go down for a road kill, although from the average speed of traffic there it will probably be safe. LOL!

Cheers,

Bryan

[Cordaline]

Originally Posted by KentYeti

There is a very happy, if slghtly fat, fox in Bracknell this morning.

I'd keep putting bait out Cordaline, but take it in every night.

If you have Red Kites cicling overhead they will eventually find it. It may take time but I am sure it will be worth the wait.

I know from an earlier post on WAB that this happened some time ago in the Red Kites M40 hot spot. Someone here was invited into a local garden to watch the Red Kites come down for meat that was put out specially to attract them.

If they are doing it at one location, they will do it at another. Especially as their numbers spread. And from my very regular drives to Bakewell via the M40 it is obvious their range is spreading. To start with I only saw them in the Junction 4 and 5 area. Now it is from Junction 9 down to the M25. That latter Junction was the highlight of my last run back from Bakewell in December. A Red Kite circling over the M25! Just hope it doesn't go down for a road kill, although from the average speed of traffic there it will probably be safe. LOL!

Cheers,

Bryan

I had an adrenaline rush moment yesterday afternoon.
I looked out the kitchen window about 3pm & a Kite made a couple of passes quite low over the garden!
Sadly it didn't come down but I'm remaining hopeful!

[htcdude]

I bet if you laid still in the garden covered in ketchup it would soon swoop down..and bring it's friends

Nige

[Cordaline]

No Red Kites yet, instead I had a Sparrowhawk feeding on something on my shed roof just now!
That'll do nicely for starters!

[KentYeti]

Originally Posted by Cordaline

I had an adrenaline rush moment yesterday afternoon.
I looked out the kitchen window about 3pm & a Kite made a couple of passes quite low over the garden!
Sadly it didn't come down but I'm remaining hopeful!

If they are doing that, it surely will not be long before one lands.

Bet you gonna spend every daylight minute this weekend with your camera focussed on a Tesco chicken! LOL!

And when I'm not at Capel Fleet trying to get a photo of a Short Eared Owl hunting in the promised snow, I shall be constantly checking this thread to see if you have had one land in your garden Cordaline.

Cheers,

Bryan

[Cordaline]

Originally Posted by KentYeti

If they are doing that, it surely will not be long before one lands.

Bet you gonna spend every daylight minute this weekend with your camera focussed on a Tesco chicken! LOL!

And when I'm not at Capel Fleet trying to get a photo of a Short Eared Owl hunting in the promised snow, I shall be constantly checking this thread to see if you have had one land in your garden Cordaline.

Cheers,

Bryan

There was one circling today but again no joy yet.

I shall look forward to your 'Owl in the snow' shots!
Hope you get them!

[Cordaline]

I saw the pair near my house today.
First time together for a while now.
Over the past few weeks I've only seen one at any given time.
I'm still hopeful that I'll have some luck eventually.

[jaelen]

Could you put your chicken on the roof of the shed, until they get used to the idea that there is food available in your garden? (that's if it's easily seen from the air.) Even if the kites don't come, you might get the sparrow hawk again.

[KentYeti]

Originally Posted by Cordaline

I saw the pair near my house today.
First time together for a while now.
Over the past few weeks I've only seen one at any given time.
I'm still hopeful that I'll have some luck eventually.

"All things come to she who waits"



Keep at it Coraldine!

Cheers,

Bryan