Rare red kite chicks hatch in Scotland

Red kite chicks have hatched in the wild in Aberdeenshire for the first time in almost 150 years.

The chicks are being raised by birds released two years ago as part of a project to reintroduce the birds to the skies over the county. At least three have hatched.

Red kites were once common all over the British Isles, but were persecuted almost to the point of extinction in the 19th century.


In the UK, the population had almost died out until birds began being reintroduced from overseas via breeding programmes in the 1990s.

Jenny Lennon, the Aberdeen Red Kites project officer, said: "It's fantastic to see our recently reintroduced birds raising their first chicks.

"Being new parents they still have a lot to do to make sure their chicks successfully fledge, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that they'll make it."