![]() ![]() The question whether the Cape Verde kite should be considered a distinct species ( Milvus fasciicauda) or a red kite subspecies has not been settled. The red kites on the Cape Verde Islands are (or rather were) quite distinct in morphology, being somewhat intermediate with black kites. The red kite has been known to successfully hybridize with the black kite in captivity where both species were kept together, and in the wild on the Cape Verde Islands and infrequently in other places. The genus Milvus contains two other species: the black kite ( M. fasciicauda Hartert, 1914 – Cape Verde Islands milvus (Linnaeus, 1758) – Europe and northwest Africa to the Middle East In 1799 the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède moved the species to the genus Milvus creating the tautonym. The word milvus was the Latin name for the bird. The red kite was described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Falco milvus. Vagrants have reached north to Finland and south to Israel, Libya and Gambia. Historically, it was only resident in the milder parts of its range in western Europe and northwestern Africa, whereas all or most red kites in northern mainland Europe wintered to the south and west, some also reaching western Asia, but an increasing number of northern birds now remain in that region year-round. The species currently breeds only in Europe, though it formerly also bred in west Asia and northwest Africa. The red kite ( Milvus milvus) is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. Red Kite at Bwlch Nant yr Arian, Wales, a local feeding ground. The re-introduction programme run by RSPB, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage, with support and sponsorship from many other bodies, started in 1989 and has helped to establish red kites in several areas of England and Scotland, and their range and numbers are slowly expanding.Ĭonsequently, the red kite’s future as a British breeding species is now much brighter with numbers rising 1026 per cent from 1995-2014.Summer breeding visitor, some migrating elsewhere during winter By the mid-1990s there were more than 100 breeding pairs in Wales, and 350-400 pairs by 2003.ĭue to the low rate of chick production the Welsh population appeared to be unable to spread out of Wales to recolonise its former range. However, once the species had successfully spread to more productive land at lower altitudes, it became obvious that this was almost entirely due to poor habitat conditions. It was for a long time believed that the lack of genetic variability caused by the bottle-neck had resulted in the low reproductive rate. This was followed by poor breeding success in the early 1960s, thought to be caused by effects of organochlorine pesticides. Until about 1950 when protection measures were starting to take effect, illegal poisoning, egg collecting and shooting of adults for taxidermy were severely affecting the population.ĭuring the 1950s the rabbit myxomatosis outbreak devastated a main food supply of the kites. The population inhabited an area where the climatic conditions and poor food availability depressed breeding success and prevented the birds from expanding their range. There were many reasons for the slow recovery. ![]() The population did not exceed 20 pairs until the 1960’s, when it started slowly to increase. ![]() ![]() Even though several pairs survived, DNA analysis has since discovered that the entire Welsh population was derived from a single female bird. The tightest genetic bottle-neck came in the 1930s. The small remnant population survived the persecution in the old oakwoods in the undisturbed upland valleys of mid-Wales, but despite extensive efforts, the numbers remained extremely low. By 1903 when protection efforts started, only a handful of pairs were left in remote parts of central Wales. Consequently, the red kite became extinct in England in 1871 and in Scotland in 1879. As the kite became rarer, it became a target for taxidermists and egg collectors, whose actions hastened the species towards extinction. The persecution continued through the following centuries largely by game keepers, who wrongly accused them of taking game. However, by the 16th century a bounty was placed on its head and, in common with many other birds of prey, it was relentlessly persecuted as 'vermin'. In the UK the red kite was a valued scavenger during the Middle Ages that helped keep streets clean and was protected by a royal decree killing a kite attracted capital punishment. This resulted in the species becoming extinct in several countries following a marked long-term decrease in range and numbers. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |