On 21 and 22 July 2017, a nest of Red Kite with a fledgling was found in a larch near Wilhelminaoord in SW-Drenthe. The young was frequently fed by adults on or near the nest (for example, 6 times during 9 uninterrupted hours of observation on 22 July). In the previous months, from March onwards, Red Kites had been observed throughout southern Drenthe and northern Overijssel (Fig. 1) suggesting breeding at several localities. With the exception of two observations of adults carrying food (heading for the nest?) and an observation of two adults with three fledglings (of local origin?) no evidence of nesting was recorded. In Drenthe, Red Kites had been observed frequently during spring and summer of 2013-16, but only in 2016 did the observations hint at a territory within this province. In 2016-17, Red Kites were mainly observed in farmland (production or conservation), but also in marshland, along highways and in build-up areas. Together with the long foraging flights observed for the birds nesting at Wilhelminaoord, this may indicate food scarcity. A critical assessment of observations and reports of breeding in 1975-95 reduced the number of cases of probable breeding (in terms of mapping, criteria according to Sovon) to single cases in 1978, 1979, 1988 and 1994. Only one observation was sufficiently detailed to confirm breeding, i.e. a nest with at least one egg that failed in 1990 (Table 1). All other observations have been reinterpreted as summer visitors or ‘territorial’, including a nest-building pair in 1994 for which no further details could be traced.

De Takkeling

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Werkgroep Roofvogels Nederland

A.J. van Dijk. (2018). Succesvol broedgeval van de Rode Wouw Milvus milvus in Drenthe in 2017, en een kritische beoordeling van eerdere gevallen. De Takkeling, 26(2), 114–128.