A Red Kite Tail..?
The red kite with a missing component!
Just how this Red Kite managed to learn to fly without its rudder remains a mystery!
Red kites are usually seen displaying their reliance on the ability to adjust the angle and width of their tail when making anything more than a simple manoeuvre, but, this tail-less red kite amazed onlookers as he(?) soared and dived with the best of them.
First appearing at the feeding station in 
October '99 it was apparent that it was not going to re-grow the missing appendage. Quite what caused this is can only be guessed.
A leg ring can be seen so the tail must have disappeared since ringing by the Welsh Kite Trust as a chick.
The wings appeared to have a greater width than those normally seen but this may be an illusion caused by the angle at which they are held to compensate for the lack of a tail.
Diving for the 2pm feed was not a great problem but keeping the food was quite another matter, as rather than being safely tucked up out of sight beneath the tail, the legs stretched beyond the body so any food being carried was in full view of kites looking to mug another around the feeding area...
These images were taken by Mike Attwood. Mike comes to the Gigrin several times a year and is a contributor of photographs to the Welsh Kite Trust news letter.
Images © Mike Attwood 2003