counting operation of the red kite, a raptor that is rare in the Grand-Est
The first weekend of January, European ornithologists carry out a counting operation for the red kite, a species of raptor whose population has fallen by 80% in Lorraine and in the Grand-Est.
Courage, a lot of courage. The members of the Lorraine Association Nature demonstrated it this weekend during counting operations involving the red kite involving all over Europe. In Moncel-sur-Vair in the Vosges plain, the rain on Saturday January 8 was invited which somewhat complicated the observation. But after long minutes spent with binoculars and spotting scopes, the raptors were finally seen.
On a count of two kites. It’s not bad already, but we hope for more.
Michel Duchêne, Lorraine Association Nature volunteer
“We counted two, it’s already not bad but we hope for more” tells Michel Duchêne, volunteer of Lorraine Association Nature. “The fact of looking left and right, that’s always what you have to do because here, we could consider that there is only one bird but in fact they are each other. ”
In Lorraine, 12 potential dormitories of the royal kite have been identified, including that of the Neufchâteau sector. “The red kite rather very sociable in winter so we can have large dormitories” explains Guillaume Leblanc, employee of Lorraine Association Nature. “The objective is to identify this winter population. In the Grand-Est region, the concern we have is that we are not a very popular welcome land in winter and all of a sudden we end up with only 100 or 200 individuals. ”
In fact, in France, it is especially the Central Massif and the Pyrenees which welcome large numbers with around 5,000 birds in these regions.
The red kite is an endangered bird. In Lorraine, out of a lost 80% of the workforce.
Guillaume Leblanc, employee of Lorraine Association Nature
“The workforce may vary from year to year” adds Guillaume Leblanc. “Last year in the Neufchâteau area there were 40 kites and this year only 2. It is an endangered bird which is the subject of a national action plan. It is classified as vulnerable, the numbers have decreased drastically in the 90s. In Lorraine, we lost 80% of the workforce. ”