Surfbirds News

Local MSP and Convener of Holyrood's Rural affairs and environment committee Maureen Watt will release the first seven of these birds at 1030 on Thursday 16 July 2009.

The graceful red kite, with its distinctive forked tail, was once a common sight in towns and cities across the UK, and was considered useful in medieval times for its role as a scavenger, helping to keep streets clean. However, it later came to be considered as a pest and was hunted to near extinction in Victorian times, and by 1989 just a few pairs remained in North Wales.

Red Kite © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries

The first Scottish reintroduction began on the Black Isle North of Inverness, alongside another in the Chilterns, South of England. Further Scottish phases in Dumfries and Galloway and Central Scotland, near Doune, saw the species build to around 90 pairs by 2006, but it was decided that the large gap in Aberdeenshire would need to be filled to give the species enough stong holds around the country to be self sustaining.

SNP North East MSP Maureen Watt said: "I am delighted to have been asked to take part in the RSPB's fantastic efforts to bring Red Kites back to the North East by releasing a new group of these magnificent birds of prey into the wild."

"Red Kites were once a common and welcome sight in this part of Scotland until human persecution caused them to disappear in the 19th century. It is wonderful that they are being restored to this part of Scotland and the hatching of several chicks earlier in the year is a sign for optimism for the future of the Red Kites."

Jenny Lennon, Aberdeen red kite project officer with RSPB Scotland said:

"We have 36 birds to release this year, which means that over three years of the project, 101 red kites will have taken to the skies of Aberdeenshire. These amazing birds are a pleasure to work with, and I still get a buzz every time I see them soaring overhead. Five pairs of birds that we released two years ago have already nested this year, so it looks like we're well on the way to a healthy population. Who knows, maybe soon red kites will once again be seen directly over Aberdeen itself."

The birds not only play an important part in the countryside (they are excellent scavengers, cleaning up road kill etc) but have made a positive contribution to tourism in Scotland too, with feeding stations and viewing opportunities at Argaty red kites in Doune, and the Galloway red kite trail.