BRYNMEILLION

Talgarreg

The Red Kite

 

What to look for

This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its chestnut red body, striking white patches under the angled wings, deeply forked tail and a pale grey head.

 

Viewed from above, a broad white crescent curves across the inner part of the wings, but it is the underside that produces the most startling image.

The head is equipped with hooded amber eyes ringed with lemon yellow. The beak, wickedly hooked and very sharp, is designed for tearing meat and killing small prey animals.

Size and colouring
It has a wingspan of nearly two metres, but a relatively small body weight of 2 - 3 lbs. This means the bird is incredibly agile, and can stay in the air for many hours with hardly a beat of its wings. The Kite has excellent eye sight and uses this when over flying the countryside in search of food.

The long fingered primary feathers are white with black tips and being bordered by chestnut coverts and dark grey secondaries give the dazzling patches of contrast seen in every kite.

 

The legs and feet are bright yellow and can often be seen when the bird is in flight. Unlike the buzzard (a common sight in the local farmland), it is usually silent while hunting, but it can be noisy when fighting for scraps of food with carrion crows and other kites.

 

Its voice is an insistent, thin piping raised in complaint. The call is quite distinctive once recognised.

The kite is relatively weak for a bird of its size and is unable to open the carcass of a sheep but has to wait for the bill of the powerful raven or the jaws of a fox to do this first.

 

Why it was forced into near extinction

From as early as the 16th century the Red Kite was seen as a threat to agriculture and was considered as vermin in England and Wales where it was subject to attack from farmers and gamekeepers which meant that by the end of the eighteenth century the red kite was largely extinct in England and most of Wales. 

 

Only in rural Mid Wales did Red Kites hang on, their numbers down to just a few pairs. At that point a few local landowners had the foresight to set up an unofficial protection programme to try to safeguard this beautiful bird. And, over a period of around 100 years, efforts to maintain a fragile breeding population were made by committed generations of landowners, rural communities, dedicated individuals and organisations and now Wales has over 600 breeding pairs.

Red Kites and the law

It is now an offence to take, injure or kill a red kite or to take, damage or destroy its nest, eggs or young. It is also an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb the birds close to their nest during the breeding season. Violation of the law can attract fines up to £5,000 per offence and/or a prison sentence of up to six months.

RED KITES IN THE GARDEN

TO  DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE AREA PLEASE CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE

HOW TO BOOK

 

Both cottages are available throughout the year, so if you want to know prices, or check that a week is free, or if you would like to book either cottage for your holiday, please either send us an email stating your requirements by clicking here  or telephone us on 07768152483

 

Email: bookings@westwalescottageholidays.co.uk

0044(0)7768152483