All 32 breeding adult red kites from 1995 survived and attempted to breed in 1996. In total 21 sites with territorial pairs were located. Three sites had first year pairs and no breeding activity was recorded. 18 adult pairs were located and 16 nests were found. It is thought that one possibly two nests were not found.
All 16 known nests successfully hatched with a minimum total of 42 young. One nest subsequently failed, near fledging, when the nest capsized but the remaining 15 nests reared a total of 38 young. The mean clutch size was 3.3 (n=12), the mean overall brood size was 2.4 (n=16) and the mean brood size per successful nest was 2.5 (n=15). Three clutches of four eggs were laid and one pair fledged a brood of four.
A total of 93 birds were released in Northern Scotland over five years (1989-1993) and during the first five years of breeding (1992-1996), 85 wild bred young have fledged
Extracts from Red Kite Reintroduction in Scotland - Progress Report 1996. Brian Etheridge
During 1997, 27 of the original 93 kites imported from Sweden during 1989-93 were known to be still alive and breeding in Northern Scotland, 16 are known to be dead and the remaining 50 are unaccounted for but most are presumed dead.
Since the re-introductions began, 126 Red Kites have been reared in the wild in North Scotland. During 1997 at least 89 of these were known to be still alive. A minimum of 24 have now bred themselves as first generation Scottish Red Kites.
A further increase in the number of pairs breeding was recorded during the year from 16 in 1996 to 24 in 1997. However, clutch sizes were smaller than in the previous year and prolonged periods of continuous heavy rain during the critical hatching and nestling stages, led to a number of total failures and a reduction in brood size at successful nests. As a result the 1997 total of young fledged was only one up on 1996 although there were six extra breeding pairs.
A new Red Kite release programme began in Central Scotland during 1996. A total of 20 young kites were imported from three local regions near Halle in the former East Germany. It is hoped that 20 birds a year can be imported over the next four years. Two sets of release cages were built on sporting estates 3kms apart.
The 20 birds were imported on 2 June 1996. Unfortunately, one bird died through natural causes before release. On 1st August the 19 remaining kites were released, each fitted with a radio transmitter and two yellow wing tags. By the 27 September, all the remaining red kites in the area began to use one communal roost.
Extracts from Red Kite Reintroduction in Scotland - Progress Report 1996. Lorcan O' Toole
First winter survival of the 19 young from last year was very good. Several wintered outside of Scotland including Northern Ireland (2), Cumbria, Yorkshire and Devon. Not surprisingly none of them attempted to breed during the summer.
A further 18 young kites, again imported from Germany, were released at the two release sites established last year in July.
Extracts from 'Boda Wennol' the newsletter of the Welsh Kite Trust
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