This is from an article written for the Bucks Free Press by Peter Edwards of the Southern England Kite Group during March 2008.

Red Kites Overhead

We now have a thriving population in the Chilterns that is rapidly colonising the Home Counties without our help. All they need is our continuing protection from persecution and adequate food. However, concerns were raised that feeding kites might slow down colonisation outside of the Chiltern area and that feeding inappropriate food may affect the health of birds, especially chicks. As a result there was a meeting of experts from Natural England, RSPB, London Zoological Society, Welsh Kite Trust, South of England Kite Group and the Chiltern Conservation Board and it was agreed that there was no evidence for this. In fact it was agreed that feeding the kites was clearly beneficial. As a precaution feeding guidelines were revised listing in appropriate food like cooked meat. Such foods may be deficient in calcium that is needed for growing bones. Uncooked meat containing skin and bone is best. During 2007 there was a reduction in feeding by the public in response to publicity about these concerns. This coincided with the poorest year on record for red kites breeding in the Chilterns. Since the beginning of the release project Chiltern birds were the most productive, with more chicks fledging per nest each year than anywhere else in the country. In 2007 the Chilterns was almost the lowest. This is a concern, especially as the Chilterns remains the source for colonisation of red kites in the South of England and the group are still providing chicks for re-introduction in Scotland. As a consequence we would like to make it clear that responsible feeding as defined in recent feeding guidelines and even on a larger scale as practiced in Wales by the Welsh Kite Trust (www.welshkitetrust.org) will continue to help these birds. It is ironic that while the UK population is now expanding, the Spanish population from where our birds originated are in serious decline. The Spanish birds are declining for a number of reasons, including illegal predator control and the disappearance of food sources in the form of "muladares" (places where remains of dead animals on farms or at meat processing factories are left). The latter, an EU policy for public health, is also seriously affecting vulture populations across southern Europe. So, long may this magnificent bird soar overhead and we can feel proud that our Galician Chiltern bred birds have met with their ancient Celtic cousins, to re-establish themselves throughout the UK. But do not take this success for granted, their future health and survival are closely linked to our own activities.