Rare Red Kite spotted on the Isle of Harris

The recent bad weather has been mooted as the cause of a red kite’s rare visit to the Western Isles.

The bird was spotted by residents last week in Isle of Harris area and it is believed it may be one of the birds from a population around Inverness which have been forced westwards searching for milder weather.

As well as the threat from bad weather Scotland’s Red Kite population has come under strain due to illegal poisonings.

According to RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) In 2010, kites were poisoned in the Highlands, Tayside, as well as Dumfries and Galloway.

“Breeding season”

Young birds were also found dead in nests after eating legal pest controls.

SNH and the RSPB said numbers of the raptors were increasing slowly but Scotland was trailing behind England in kite population growth.

During this year’s breeding season field workers located 166 breeding pairs, 17 more than in 2009.

A minimum of 291 young also fledged over that time, a rise of 57 on the previous year.

Since the species was reintroduced in 1989, RSPB Scotland said numbers of breeding pairs were thought to be at their highest for at least two centuries.

However, deaths caused by illegal and legal poisons have raised concerns.

RSPB Scotland said six birds – three in the Highlands, two in Tayside and one in Dumfries and Galloway – were killed illegally.

Eleven young birds were also recorded dead in nests in the Black Isle, near Inverness.

These birds were confirmed to have died as a result of ingesting prey killed by legal pest controls, RSPB Scotland said.

Severe winter weather has also affected the breeding season.

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