The public has been urged to stop feeding red kites as they're getting "bolder" by swooping down for food.

Bucks council has issued a campaign on social media warning residents not to feed the red kites.

They said: "Did you know, feeding encourages Red Kites to become bolder than they naturally would be and to potentially fly too close for comfort?

"They can feed and thrive successfully in their natural habitat without our assistance. People were encouraged to feed them during their reintroduction in the 1990s, but now that the species is doing well, this is no longer necessary."

Some have reported their neighbours feeding red kites, with one saying: "try telling that to my neighbours."

In Marlow in 2019 a mother described a red kite swooping to steal sandwiches out of her two young children’s hands, leaving one child with a scratch on its head.

This made headlines, but this is not the natural behaviour of these birds – like seagulls they only gain such boldness when people feed them.

Chilterns National Landscape explains why it is bad to feed red kites.

A spokesman said: "Feeding encourages red kites to become bolder than they naturally would be and to fly too close for comfort.

"They have sharp claws and a wingspan of around six foot. If the birds become a nuisance this could change public support for the welfare of these birds, perhaps leading us back down the road towards the persecution of red kites – part of the worrying history of these birds."

"Feeding encourages concentrated numbers of kites in one area. This discourages songbirds and ground nesting birds from feeding and successfully bringing up their young.

"The scraps of uncooked and cooked meat that people feed red kites don’t present a balanced, healthy diet. 

"Red kites can drop scraps of meat onto neighbouring gardens and properties which is a health risk and attracts rats and vermin (the Conservation Board has even received complaints about scraps of meat dropping directly onto people’s heads!)."

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