The Nature of Scotland – Autumn 2011 – Issue 13

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Public viewing
There is clear public interest in red kites, as shown by the growing popularity of
viewing facilities in red kite strongholds. Among the most popular is the Galloway
Kite Trail, a self-guided tour around Loch Ken, near Castle Douglas in Dumfries
and Galloway. It promotes a carefully laid out set of locations for visitors, including
red kite viewing sites, activities and local businesses.
Farther north lies Argaty Red Kites, a private farming business near Doune that
showcases the central Scotland population. Here, you can watch kites in comfort
without the risk of disturbing the birds. CCTV cameras also provide visitors with a
closer look at kite life in the nest.
Residents in northern Scotland can visit a similar facility on Brahan Estate near
Dingwall. For the last few years, Tollie Farm has been placing a small amount of
carrion on a table to tempt red kites in and demonstrate the feeding frenzy that
can happen when these highly acrobatic and sociable birds compete for food.
And the most recent addition to the public viewing opportunities can be
viewed by people all over the world. For the first time in Scottish history, live
images of a red kite nest in Aberdeenshire were streamed directly onto the
internet, providing virtual visitors with a privileged insight into the behaviour of
these raptors as they raise their young.
So what does the future hold for these birds? As Scotland’s only native bird
of prey species whose population is entirely confined to the European continent,
and with only 22,000 breeding pairs in Europe, the red kite is sadly in decline
across much of its range. However, it’s hoped that red kites will gradually take
up residence through most of lowland Scotland where they formerly occurred,
so that this stunning bird of prey will once more become a common sight across
Scotland’s countryside.
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5
The figure of 166
breeding red kite pairs
in Scotland is probably
higher than it has been
for at least two
centuries.
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The kite finds food by
flying low over open
country. It uses its
forked tail to steer,
twisting it like a rudder.
The Nature of Scotland