Trossachs Bird of Prey Trail, The Trossachs Stirling, United KingdomRed Kitehttp://birdofpreytrail.com14:04 11-Mar-2011
RED KITE When is it here? All year round, but they’re much more sociable in the winter so you’ll see them in greater numbers from October until about March.
How easy is it to see? They’re not common so are difficult to see on the Trail. They are, however, very easy to see at Argaty Red Kites where there is a viewing hide.
How big is it? Medium.
What colour is it? Males and females are Chestnut brown with white and black markings and a white head. These markings are more faded in juvenile birds. Kites also have a distinctive forked tail.
What might I confuse it with? Buzzards. See the buzzards page for how to tell the birds apart.
Where are they? To the east of the Trail, particularly around Doune and at Argaty Red Kites.
What are they normally doing? Red kites are incredibly acrobatic in the air, and flying for them seems completely effortless. Their tail swivels allowing them to perform breakneck turns in mid air on their long, elegant wings.
At Argaty, you can see all manner of behaviour as the birds interact socially, particularly at feeding time. You’ll see them soaring together in the sky, and calling loudly, as well as swooping down to the ground for food. You might even see them displaying mock mating behaviour, locking talons and tumbling towards the ground.
Away from Argaty, you’re most likely to see a red kite soaring overhead or swooping low over a field looking for prey.
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