Back in the UK: Red kites
July 5th, 2009 | by lucy |
Red Kites have become a symbol of Britain’s change of heart. For centuries an incredibly varied and long list of species, including kingfishers and hedgehogs, were systematically killed with the aim of wiping them off the face of the Earth. Laws were passed to eliminate wildlife, seen as competition for natural resources, and rewards were doled out by church wardens. The slaughter reached a peak in the 19th century with widespread gun use. It was a time when suburban sparrow shooting clubs competed for bounty payments. This phase of Britain’s relationship with the natural world is documented in detail in “Silent Fields” by Roger Lovegrove.
The Red Kite was persecuted with particular zeal, but a very successful conservation effort has saved the species from extinction in the UK. Reports of this happy story are inevitably accompanied by quotes from Shakespeare, because the playwright knew London when these scavenging raptors flourished there, appreciated for keeping the city’s filth in check. He called it “the city of Crows and Kites”.
Today’s growing Red Kite population has been built up from the few birds that survived in remote Welsh valleys and others brought in from Spain. There are now over 1,000 breeding pairs in the UK, the highest concentration found in the Chilterns.
Considering the long tradition of slaughter, it’s hardly surprising that cases of illegal poisoning, trapping and shooting of birds of prey continue to be highlighted by the RSPB and other conservation groups. A culture of valuing these species for their own sake is growing, but historically it’s a new tendency. Most people are awestruck by their encounters with Red Kites, entranced by their grace and five-foot wingspans. Some still think “vermin” and reach for the poison bottle.
The photo is from http://www.redkites.co.uk/
Check out Silent Fields by Roger Lovegrove
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