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Up to 30 young Red Kites were introduced
to the wild in Co. Wicklow - in a programme to restore
this native bird of prey to Ireland.
Ireland's big birds of prey were all lost over the past
200 years, due to human activities.
However, since 2000, a series of projects have begun to
address this. |
"These wonderful birds became extinct in Ireland more than
200 years ago because of habitat change and persecution"
- said Mr John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment,
Heritage and Local Government - who was present as the birds
were released.
"From today, they can be seen again in the skies above
County Wicklow. This project to reintroduce the red kite shows
what we can achieve here in Ireland in terms of protecting
and enhancing our natural heritage."
The Minister added - "The kites' return is a significant
addition to our biodiversity and a wonderful complement to
the golden eagle and white-tailed eagle restoration projects.
This work is at the core of one of the heritage elements in
the Programme for Government and I am delighted to see this
early progress."
The Wicklow Red Kite Project is a partnership between the
Golden Eagle Trust, the National Parks and Wildlife Service
and the Welsh Kite Trust. It is funded by grants from the
Minister's Department and the Heritage Council.
The kite chicks came from Wales.
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The Project Manager, Damian Clarke said - "As
a native of Wicklow I am delighted that this county
has been chosen as the first release site for the reintroduction
of this spectacular bird to Ireland.
"I look forward to working closely with local
farmers, landowners, community and recreational interests.
"In future years, these beautiful birds will become
another tourist attraction in the Garden of Ireland,
as they have done in Wales."
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Tony Cross, of the Welsh Kite Trust, said - "We are
incredibly excited at this collaboration, as it takes us into
the next stage of the recovery of the Red Kite's fortunes.
It is great that Welsh birds are being used, as they must
be the most similar genetically to what Ireland had in the
past. It also gives the project a nice Celtic link, which
has gone down well with Welsh farmers who have generously
allowed some of 'their' birds to be collected."
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The Red Kite is a bird of mixed lowland countryside
and its primary nesting habitat is woodland.
However, it may spend a large amount of time feeding
in farmland and hedgerow.
The birds spend a part of each day soaring above the
landscape in order to search for food.
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The birds are individually marked with numbered wing tags,
so that they can be relocated and their survival monitored.
The first sign of breeding behaviour by these Red Kites in
Ireland is expected to occur by 2010.
Although the birds are natural scavengers, they feed extensively
on earthworms, small mammals - such as rats and rabbits -
and birds - such as magpies and other crows. 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.
Good views of flying Red Kites can be expected at various
locations in Co. Wicklow over the next few months. Any information
on sightings of the birds - including date, locality and identifying
features - should be sent to the Project Manager, Damian Clarke
(damianclarke@goldeneagle.ie).
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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 - 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.
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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. Due to
their small feet and weak beaks, kites are not particularly
powerful predators.
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