Information and awareness
The ‘Red Kite Network’ works on a daily basis to raise awareness among farmers, hunters and forest keepers as well as the general public and children, in order to ensure that red kites continue to fly over our countryside.
The network organises school presentations and trips for the general public to find red kites as well as arranging information meetings with agricultural groups and hunting organisations, for example.
Nationally, LPO Mission Rapaces has developed tools for the ‘Red Kite Network’ to use in its awareness work, providing information bulletins (covering topical subjects, giving local and national data), an information pack, information leaflets and an Internet site (these documents are available below).
Tools for awareness work at a local level (information panels, kites, outline models and leaflets) have also been made.
Every year (usually), annual meetings are organised in order for everyone involved in the ‘Red Kite Network’ to share their knowledge and experiences. One took place in the Pyrenees in 2004, in the Cantal department in 2006 and in the Loire department in 2007. In 2009, France organised and hosted an international red kite conference, which took place in the Franche-Comté region.
This year’s press releases
Under construction.
Press coverage
Under construction.
The ‘Red Kite Network’
In response to declining red kite populations in France, 1999 saw the LPO launch a strident call for action as a result of the species’ critical situation. A recovery plan was implemented and a network of groups gradually became more organised, preparing for action. Mainly made up of wildlife protection organisations, the network also includes regional natural parks (PNR) and national parks (PN), the departmental services of the National Office for Hunting and Wild Fauna (ONCFS), the National Forests Office (ONF), the National Centre for Veterinary Toxicology Information (CNITV), UFCS [French Union of Protection Centres] care clinics and other scientific bodies (such as the CRBPO [Bird Ringing Research Centre], the CNRS [National Centre for Scientific Research] in Chizé and the University of Franche-Comté). The Ministry of Ecology and its regional agencies (DREAL), in addition to local authority groups, are also involved, providing financial support to varying degrees.
Because of the national recovery plan, then, red kites are now supported by a dynamic network of groups that are daily committed to protecting the species. A mix of volunteers and paid workers, they are all passionate about what they do and determined to protect this majestic bird of prey.
You too can be a volunteer and help us to save this cultural gem by contacting LPO Mission Rapaces (rapaces@lpo.fr) or your area’s local wildlife protection group.
Documents and recommended links
Documents
- New : Result of a co-production between Catiche production and Laurent Charbonnier production, this 26-minutes film on Red Kite presents its biology, the landscapes they occupy in the Massif Central, the actors and actions of the restoration program in the Massif Central. One of the goals of this film is to raise awareness of the roles in the preservation of this raptor. Film from Christian Bouchardy and Laurent Charbonnier, produced by LPO Auvergne in collaboration with ALEPPE, CORA Ardèche, LPO Aveyron, LPO Loire and SEPOL.
- New for 2010: ‘Red kite’ leaflet: download one here or request a paper version from LPO Mission Rapaces (rapaces@lpo.fr).
- ‘Red kite’ information pack: download one here, (sixteen pages and a poster in PDF format as a 6.6 MB folder) or request a paper version from LPO Mission Rapaces (rapaces@lpo.fr or + 33 1 53 58 58 38).
- A sixteen-page brochure has been published to help present the red kite national action plan, implemented by LPO Mission Rapaces at the state’s behest. Limited to 3,000 copies, it is aimed more specifically at people who are likely to become aware of the presence of red kites in the birds’ native areas. It is available on request from rapaces@lpo.fr.
- Browse Milan info, a newsletter providing information about the red kite national recovery plan (PDF format):
Milan info May 2003
Milan info n° 2 & 3 - April 2004
Milan info n° 4 & 5 - October 2005
Milan info n° 6 & 7 - April 2006
Milan info n° 8 - September 2006
Milan info n° 9 & 10 - December 2006
Milan info n° 11 & 12 - September 2007
Milan info n° 13, 14 & 15 - August 2008
Milan info n° 16, 17 & 18 - August 2009
Milan info n° 19, 20 & 21 - August 2010
Milan info n° 22 & 23 - May 2011 - The proceedings of the International Red Kite Symposium (Montbéliard, France; october 2009) are avalaible in French and English. You can download the document here (164 p; 19 Mo) or read the proceedings online.
- Browse Observatoire rapaces, a newsletter featuring the methodology for and results of the national red kite study:
Observatoire rapaces n°1 & 2 December 2007
Observatoire rapaces n°3 & 4 March 2008
Observatoire rapaces n°5 & 6 May 2009
Observatoire rapaces n°7 & 8 March 2010 - A new reference book about birds of prey in France: Thiollay Jean-Marc, Bretagnolle Vincent (2004). - Rapaces nicheurs de France - Delachaux et Niestlé.
Four monographs in English, German and Spanish:
- Carter Ian (2001). - The Red Kite - Arlequin Press: 187 pp. (English monograph)
New 2007 edition available from this website. - New in 2009
Aebischer A. (2009). - Der Rotmilan - Ein faszinierender Greifvogel - Verlag Paul Haupt, 176 pp. (monograph in German)
Available from this website. - Ortlieb Rudolf (1989). - Der Rotmilan - Die Neue Brehm-Bücherei (German monograph)
- Vinuela J., Marti R. & Ruiz A. (1999). - El Milano Real en España. - SEO/Birdlife, monografia No 6 (Spanish monograph)
- Delattre P., Giraudoux P. (2009) - Le campagnol terrestre - Prévention et contrôle des populations (published by Quae – part of the Savoir-faire collection). For more information, click on the image opposite.
- Rapaces de France
An annual journal entirely devoted to birds of prey featuring articles written by top French bird experts and comprehensive reports on all protective initiatives for birds of prey in France, Rapaces de France also provides the latest information on where birds of prey have been observed in France, regional and international news and book reviews.
Number 12 is due in July 2010. To subscribe, contact the LPO’s subscription service on +33 546 82 12 34 - French bibliography on Red Kite (from 1945 to 1990) available here
Links
French sites
- LPO Champagne-Ardenne web site
- LPO Alsace website
- LPO Auvergne website
- Living Pyrenees Programme website
- LPO Aveyron website
- LPO Franche-Comté website
- LPO Isère website
- LPO Loire website
- LPO Tarn webite
- EPOB [Society for the Study and Protection of Birds in the Bourgogne Region] website
- LPO Côte-d’Or website
- SEPOL [Society for the Study and Protection of Birds in the Limousin Region] website
- CORA [Rhône-Alpes Ornithological Centre] wild fauna site: website
Elsewhere in Europe
- For a comprehensive overview of red kites in England, go to:
- http://www.gigrin.co.uk/redkite.html
- http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redkite/index.asp
- http://www.redkites.net/ - To follow migrating Swiss red kites fitted with Argos transmitters
- For a comprehensive overview of mred kites wintering in Navarre (Spain).
- For information about Poland's nesting population.
- To find out about different red kite coloured marking programmes in Europe.
Information on other birds of prey
- Peregrine falcons
- Lesser kestrels
- Harriers
- Ospreys
- Little owls
- Egyptian vultures
- Bearded vultures
- Vultures in the Grands Causses region
- Vultures in the Verdon region
- Black vulture
- Mountain pygmy owls (European pygmy owls and Tengmalm’s owl)
- Observatoire rapaces
More general sites about birds:
- The LPO
- Migration
- Atlas of breeding birds
- Online departmental and regional databases: http://www.faune-aquitaine.org/ and http://www.faune-auvergne.org/