FEEDING OF RED KITES IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS

Dear Residents of Oakley Village,

We are posting this regarding the increasing presence of Red Kites within our village and to address an important matter concerning their welfare and the wellbeing of our community.

While these magnificent birds are a delight to observe, we would like to remind residents that the urban feeding of Red Kites is strongly discouraged. Red Kites are naturally adept hunters and scavengers, thriving on a diet of carrion and small mammals.

Supplementary feeding in built-up areas not only disrupts their natural foraging habits but can also result in several unintended consequences.

Regular feeding by humans can cause Red Kites to lose their natural wariness, drawing them into closer contact with people, pets, and traffic—raising the risk of injury to birds and potentially to residents.

Such feeding can also lead to disputes between birds, causing aggressive behaviour, and may attract other non-target wildlife, resulting in local disturbances.

Moreover, food provided by well-meaning residents is often not appropriate for the birds’ health, potentially exposing them to disease or dietary imbalances. There have been instances elsewhere of Red Kites becoming reliant on easy sources of food, which undermines their self-sufficiency and impacts the local ecosystem.

For these reasons, we kindly ask all residents to appreciate Red Kites from a distance and to refrain from providing food.

By doing so, we will help ensure that these remarkable raptors remain healthy and wild, and that Oakley continues to be a safe and harmonious place for both people and wildlife.

Buckinghamshire Council have a page on their website which gives guidelines on birds and feeding, of which I enclose a copy.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Cllr J Mole Chairman Oakley Parish Council

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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL GUIDELINES ON BIRDS AND BIRD FEEDING

Birds and bird feeding: guidance

Feeding birds in your garden is important for conserving bird species and is an enjoyable activity for many people.

The RSPB recommend that you feed birds all year round to give them the best chance of survival, and that you also provide a regular supply of clean water for birds to drink and bathe in.

For the best advice on best practice and appropriate food for feeding garden birds see the RPSB website.

Problems caused by excessive feeding

Careless or excessive bird feeding can attract mice and rats. This can:

  • cause noise and fouling problems for neighbours if larger birds such as crows and pigeons are attracted to the area

  • deter the smaller birds from feeding

To prevent careless or excessive feeding:

  • use a feeder and position it carefully so rodents cannot reach it

  • use a catch tray on your bird feeder so food does not fall onto the ground where rats and mice can access it

  • do not overstock bird tables as rodents can often reach them

  • do not dump unwanted food waste in your garden as birds are unlikely to eat it, but rats and mice will

Birds you should not feed

Red kites

Red kites have been successfully reintroduced into Buckinghamshire and can be seen in flight across the county, but you should not try to attract them and feed them in your garden or public places.

Red kites are scavengers and rarely have problems finding dead animals and scraps to feed on, so providing them with food is not necessary.

Feeding red kites may:

  • lead to the birds relying on human hand-outs

  • encourage them to steal food from people’s picnics, and even from their hands

Pigeons

Feeding feral pigeons in a public place like a town, or leaving leftover food for them to find, can cause problems, including:

  • health risks for humans from droppings, and disease and starvation in pigeons caused by large populations