Adaptable red kites do well in Switzerland
The red kite population in Switzerland has grown rapidly in recent decades and, according to studies by the Swiss Ornithological Institute, now makes up around 10% of the world’s population. This means that the Alpine country has a “high international responsibility” for bird protection.
This content was published on November 16, 2021 – 4:05 pm
Keystone-SDA / jc
Around 2,800 to 3,500 pairs breed in Switzerland today. But despite the population boom, the bird is exposed to numerous dangers, says the instituteexternal link. These include collisions, electric shocks on overhead lines, poisoning and illegal shots.
Since 2015 she has been researching why this “elegant glider” feels so comfortable in Switzerland. The main reason seems to be the adaptability of the bird in both feeding and migration habits.
Research has shown that the red kite is not a picky eater. In addition to mice and worms, the bird also eats carrion and garbage. Large groups of red kites also gather to eat injured or dead animals together. That is why the bird’s ecological function is reminiscent of “a vulture rather than an agile hunter,” says the Swiss Ornithological Institute.
In the past, all Swiss red kites migrated to the Iberian Peninsula in autumn to spend the winter there. But the older the birds get, the more likely they will remain, and meanwhile around half of the Swiss red kites overwinter in Switzerland. These birds gather in common roosts that can contain more than 100 individuals in the evening, the institute wrote.