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Mr Dick Roche, T.D., Minister for the Environment
Heritage and Local Government has announced a programme
to restore the Red Kite, a native bird of prey
to the Republic of Ireland.
This international, co-operative project follows the success
of the Golden Eagle Reintroduction Project in Donegal
and the outstanding success of several Red Kite reintroduction
projects in Britain. |
The birds are to be transported under licence from Wales
- which is a stronghold of the species - and released in selected
locations in the east of Ireland. The project is to start
this year with the release of up to thirty kites in Wicklow.
A partner project on the release of kites in Northern Ireland
is proposed to begin in 2008.
The Red Kite, which was once common and widespread in these
islands, became extinct in Ireland in the eighteenth century
due to persecution, poisoning and woodland clearance. Although
the birds are natural scavengers, they feed extensively on
earthworms, insects and small mammals such as rabbits. The
Red Kite does not present any threat to livestock and, in
parts of the UK, they have become major tourist attractions
as they perform spectacular aerial displays.
The Wicklow Red Kite Project is a partnership between the
Golden Eagle Trust, the National Parks and Wildlife Service
of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
(DEHLG) and the Welsh Kite Trust. It is funded by grants from
DEHLG and the Heritage Council.
For further information, contact -
Damian Clarke, Golden Eagle Trust
Tel: 086 3284463
Email: damianclarke@goldeneagle.ie
The Red Kite is so called because of its reddish brown body
and tail. Its tail is deeply forked making it an easily recognisable
bird. Kites have a wingspan of up to 1.8m.
Kites normally breed in their second or third year. They
build stick nests in trees and their nests are lined with
wool. Prior to laying, kites often decorate their nests with
scraps of cloth and paper, prompting Shakespeare to write
in A Winters Tale - 'When the kite builds, look
to lesser linen'. They lay 2-3 eggs. Breeding would be
expected in Ireland by 2010.
The Irish name for the Red Kite is - An Préachan
Ceirteach, the 'Cloth Kite'. This name is derived from
the habit of stealing cloths, mentioned above.
Kites take a very wide range of prey. Carrion is an important
part of the diet in winter. Kites also primarily take small
mammals, crows, pigeons, insects and worms. Due to their small
feet and weak beaks, kites are not particularly powerful predators.
The kite was driven to extinction in Ireland - and all parts
of Britain except for Wales. A remnant population of the Red
Kites managed to survive in the remote Welsh Uplands. At its
lowest point, there were only three breeding pairs of kites.
Today - due to the efforts of the Welsh Kite Trust, landowners
and Welsh farmers - there is a population of around 600 breeding
pairs.
The Welsh Kite Trust is a registered charity, devoted to
the conservation of the Red Kite in Wales. The Welsh Kite
Trust will be in charge of the monitoring and collecting of
the kite chicks from Wales. For more information on the Welsh
Kite Trust - Click
Here
The Red Kite project is part of Ireland's wider efforts to
help halt the decline in - and even increase - our national
biodiversity. In particular, Ireland has the lowest range
of birds of prey and owls in Europe. Just like the proposed
Red Kite project, a reintroduction programme to restore Golden
Eagles in Donegal began in 2001. This programme is being carried
out by a partnership between the National Parks and Wildlife
Service and the Golden Eagle Trust Ltd.
The Department is also funding a programme - through the
Heritage Council and managed by BirdWatch Ireland - which
is examining the specific ecological needs of Barn Owls and
erecting Barn Owl nest boxes. These initiatives will help
stabilise and enhance Ireland's native raptors over the years
and restore some of our most thrilling wildlife.
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