Foraging area of the Red Kite

Year after year we see the red kite here. It is one of the rare places in Belgium where this bird breeds. The bird is quite easy to spot in flight. An adult specimen is about 62 centimeters tall, weighs 750 to 1000 grams and has a wingspan of about 160 cm. Its appearance resembles that of the buzzard, but the red kite is more reddish and has a deeply forked tail. This species can be distinguished from the closely related black kite, which has a shallowly forked tail.
The red kite hunts small and medium-sized mammals and birds, large insects, but can also take prey from other birds of prey. He is also a scavenger. It prefers semi-open landscapes, where it can hunt in agricultural areas and breed in small forests.
In the East Cantons in Belgium, there is a healthy breeding population. The total Walloon breeding population is estimated at 150 to 180 pairs.

Facts about the red kite
- The female is slightly larger than the male.
- Only the female broods, while the male brings food to the nest.
- During flight, the forked tail is spread and tilted sideways. This allows him to make adjustments during a slow scan flight. The wings have a slightly convex posture. The kite flight is very calm.
- When the red kite catches prey, it often eats it in flight.

Jan Rymenams