ABUSE AND MIS-USE OF POISONS
A considerable number of Red Kites die as a direct result of ingesting pesticides and other poisonous substances intentionally applied in lethal doses to meat baits (abuse). These highly illegal baits, aimed at foxes, badgers or crows, also cause the deaths of many other animals including kites, other protected birds and even farm dogs.
Many substances lethal to birds and easily acquired for legitimate use have been widely abused in this manner. This is clearly shown by the evidence provided by government scientists analysing dead kites picked up from time to time and taken for post-mortem examinations. Besides strychnine and alphachloralose, a wide variety of organo- chlorine and organo-phosphorous pesticides have been identified in the corpses analysed. Results in recent years suggest that over half of all Welsh kites die prematurely from ingesting poisons.
Not all of these kites will have died from eating illegally poisoned baits, some will have been accidentally killed through the careless use of toxic chemicals for otherwise legitimate purposes (mis-use). When used in accordance with the manufactures instructions these chemicals may be quite safe but when used irresponsibly without due care and attention wildlife, including kites, can suffer. Strychnine for example is licensed solely for the under-ground control of moles. Any moles or worms containing Strychnine left on the surface would be a serious danger to scavenging kites.
Likewise sheep-dip can cause problems for kites. Sheep that die shortly after dipping may still contain enough dip to kill any scavenging birds, including kites and buzzards, which feed on them. Spilt sheep dip can soak into the ground, contaminating earthworms and perhaps causing them to rise to the surface - any kite or other bird eating these worms would very probably die shortly afterwards.
You can help by:
- Ensuring that any pest control measures undertaken on your land are done by legal and approved methods only. If you have a serious crow or fox problem please contact Welsh Assembly Government - Telephone 01970 621406 - who will be able to give advice on effective methods of control.
- It is worth remembering that kites and buzzards themselves kill many crows and magpies to feed to their own young. Making sure that your employees or anyone else involved in pest control on your land is also aware that placing poison baits in the open is a serious offence.
- Always respecting the manufacturers instructions when using poisonous chemicals, and ensuring that field operatives and sub-contractors do the same.
- Burying or covering sheep that dies soon after dipping. Reporting any kites found dead on your land as soon as possible: having eaten at a poisoned bait a kite may fly some distance before succumbing to the effects of the poison ÷ it depends on the poison and how much they have eaten.
Contact the Welsh Kite Trust, your local Nest Watcher or a wildlife advisor at Welsh Assembly Government (tel.).
RODENTICIDES
There is growing concern regarding the threat posed to Red Kites through secondary poisoning by rodenticides. The increasing use of stronger, more toxic, forms of rodenticides such as Bromadiolone, Difenacoum and Brodifacoum to control rodents is causing mounting anxiety about their possible side-effects.
Many dead kites examined have been found to contain varying amounts of these rodenticides. This has undoubtedly originated from the bodies of rats and mice that have been poisoned. While kites might normally be able to cope with a certain level of rodenticide in their system, the anti-coagulant effects of these substances may affect them adversely at critical times in their life cycle (e.g. when egg-laying) or when suffering an otherwise minor injury.
Rats killed by rodenticides have been implicated in the deaths of both adult and nestling kites. The use of the stronger so-called äsecond generation&Mac240; rodenticides may well be necessary to control rats in areas where they have developed resistance to Warfarin. However, the stronger options are almost universally adopted now at the outset, even in areas where the much safer first generation rodenticides such as Warfarin are still an effective control.
Poisoned rats do not die immediately; it takes time for the anti-coagulants to take effect. Affected animals may stumble out into the open around the farmstead or in nearby fields. These dead and dying rats prove irresistible to foraging kites. It is difficult to overemphasize the importance of collecting and safely disposing of the carcasses of dead and dying rats treated with these potent rodenticides to prevent secondary poisoning of non-target species such as kites and Barn Owls.
The use of rodenticides is permissible in law only so long as manufacturers guidelines are followed. A leading pest control company was recently fined at total of £4,000 for failing to follow these requirements by not searching for carcasses and disposing of them in an approved way.
You can help by:
- Seeking free professional advice from Welsh Assembly Government, the local Environmental Health Officer or hiring the services of a specialist pest controller if you have problems with rats.
- Obtaining a copy of the Health and Safety Directorate free Agriculture Information Sheet No. 31 (Tel. 01787 881165).
- Using Warfarin or other first generation Rodenticides as a first measure to control new infestations.
- Searching for the carcasses of rats that may have died in the open and disposing of them safely to prevent them being found by kites (e.g. burying or burning).
- Ensuring that baits are properly covered to protect them from non-target species.
LEAD POISONING
Due to their scavenging lifestyle it is inevitable that kites will find carcasses of animals and birds that have been shot. Indeed in England especially, many farmers and keepers shoot rabbits and woodpigeons and intentionally leave them out for kites that frequent their land. There is a considerable risk that any kites feeding on such animals may swallow quantities of lead shot sufficient to cause lead-poisoning and such poisoning has already been recorded in both adult and nestling Red Kites in England. Whilst little can be done to prevent kites finding birds or animals in the wild which have been killed or wounded, please do not intentionally leave out carcasses containing lead shotgun pellets.
KITE FEEDING
In the early 1990's Frances Evans successfully established a Red Kite Feeding Station after the closure of the council rubbish tip on her land near Tregaron. The feeding attracted many kites and subsequently many birdwatchers. Following her lead several other centres, aimed specifically at showing kites to the public have opened and kite tourism, marketed through the Kite Country project has made an important contribution to the mid-Wales economy. Anyone considering starting a kite feeding station should contact the Trust for advice on licences and a copy of our Guidelines for Feeding Kites so that they do not breach any local council Environmental Health regulations or endanger the birds themselves.
EGG COLLECTING
Recent years have seen a decline in the deplorable practice of taking eggs for private collections, which once represented a major threat to Welsh breeding kites. In the late 1980Îs and early 1990's up to 10 nests were robbed of eggs each year from a total of only 40 or 50 nesting pairs. Robberies are still reported annually but the imposition of greater fines and prison sentences, combined with the fact that the kite is obviously not as rare as it was, has meant that the percentage of nests failing due to this selfish practise has reduced considerably. Egg-collecting however is still an illegal and unacceptable activity.
