Red kite
The red kite is a striking bird of prey with deep red plumage, a grey head and light eyes. They are recognisable in flight by their long and narrow, black-tipped wings and deeply forked tail. They usually pair for life, building large untidy nests out of sticks in the forks of trees. When the hatchlings are young the female can signal for them to play dead when a predator is near.
Primarily a scavenger, the red kite mostly eats carrion but will also catch small mammals, birds and worms. They live in a wide range of habitats from woodlands and valleys to wetland edges and rough pastures. Red kites have suffered rapid population declines due to habitat loss, pesticide usage and persecution.
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