A red kite was shown to have small feet and talons and that was the reason given for it being a scavenger rather than an attacker.

It did indeed have very small feet in proportion to its body and wing span in excess of six feet.

I live next to woodland and I keep poultry. There are buzzards nesting in the wood and a few kites cruise around the area occasionally. They have never attacked my poultry, nor had the buzzards until a year ago, when a young bird began attacking and feasting on my hens. I have since discovered the reason why.

A man who kept chickens nearby used to cull his non-productive birds and feed parts of them to the buzzards.

The man died and his wife disposed of the chickens, leaving the buzzards without a "free food stall".

The buzzards had associated poultry with food and headed to the nearest source — my birds.

There is always a reason why animals and birds change their habits.

The cause is usually interference by man (sometimes well intended) as much as the advancing climate change.

The kites will move from Dochgarroch when the food supply ceases.

Christina M. Palmer, "Carnyx", Aultvaich, Beauly.

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