More Red Kites To Be Released

The effort to restore the Red Kite to Ireland has been doubled this year. This week Red Kites will simultaneously be released at locations in Co. Down and Co. Wicklow.

The Golden Eagle Trust and project partners the Welsh Kite Trust collected a total of fifty-three Red Kites in Wales to Ireland for reintroduction.

Twenty-seven of these birds were brought to Co. Down where the RSPB are managing the reintroduction.

The other twenty-six birds will be released by the Golden Eagle Trust in Wicklow, bringing the total released in Wicklow to fifty-six.

"It is just over a year ago since I had the pleasure of attending the release of the first batch of these magnificent birds and I understand that the first year of the Wicklow Red Kite project has proven very successful, with a minimum of twenty-six kites surviving the winter," said Minister Gormley.

A number of the Red Kites have now formed pairs and set up territories at locations in Wicklow.

All is said to look very positive for a breeding attempt in 2009.

Tracking of the newly released kites has been made a little easier this year by the fitting of satellite packs to two of the birds.

"These tiny solar powered packs are fitted to the birds' backs and allow the project team to check the exact location of the birds via the internet.

"Unfortunately these wonderful birds became extinct in Ireland more than 200 years ago because of loss of habitat, hunting and persecution," added Minister Gormley.

"Since last year they can be seen again in the skies above County Wicklow.

"This project to reintroduce the red kite shows what we can achieve here in Ireland in terms of protecting and enhancing our natural heritage," he concluded.