red kites

Red kites are now fairly common in Shropshire.The Red Kite was last recorded nesting in Shropshire near Ludlow in 1876. Their extinction in England was the result of sustained persecution but a few pairs remained in Wales. However, regular sightings of this attractive raptor in recent years raised hopes that they might return to breed in Shropshire again. Eventually two nests were found in the south Shropshire Hills in 2005. By 2010 the County population had grown to 17 known nests. Since the first successful breeding in 2006, 68 young have flown from Shropshire nests. Observations of tagged and untagged wintering Kites suggest that there are more than 100 individual birds in the south-west hills now.