Red Kite

Milvus Milvus

The Red Kite is a majestic, large raptor that is now quite common around Cambridge. They can be found almost anywhere, but often congregate near motorways. Finding one is quite hit-and-miss, but train your eyes upwards as they soar over more or less anywhere. They are only slightly less common than Buzzards at some times of year!

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However, Red Kites weren't always this common. Although, in Elizabethan London, they competed with crows for scraps, by the 1950s they were restricted to a tiny area of Mid-wales, exterminated by changes to farming and egg and skin collectors. With the help of conservationists, Red Kites were reintroduced to several areas of Britain, such as the East Midlands. Now, the population is literally soaring. Hailed as a rare conservation success story, it is no surprise that Red Kites are the national animal of Wales.

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Red Kites are not only beautiful and inspiring, but they do give us a rare feeling important in these times - hope.