Did anyone see the ridiculous media hysteria with regard to Red Kites in Henley?
A Red Kite lifted a custard cream biscuit from the hand of a 2 year old boy in Henley and accidentally scratched the back of his hand. Here’s how the media responded with complete over-reaction ....
The boy was not "attacked" and nor are the town or its residents being "terrorised" by Red Kites, which the Daily Mail says "resemble eagles".
This is lazy, ill-informed journalism!
Red Kites are skilled opportunists and, if there is an easy meal to be had, they will take it. The situation in Henley (and in other areas in the highly successful Chilterns reintroduction area) with Red Kites approaching close to humans has been exacerbated by some residents providing food to the birds in their gardens, despite this being discouraged.
This is yet another example of humans creating the problem and then blaming the wildlife.
The UK media needs to take a look at how it reports such issues and stop demonising Red Kites, other birds of prey and other wildlife generally.
Actually, instead of this nonsense, why don't the media give much more attention to wildlife crime in the UK, not least the industrial scale illegal killing of birds of prey by trapping, poisoning or shooting.
The media has a responsibility to inform and educate rather than push out headline-grabbing and ill-informed rubbish.
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