They are often accused of taking small animals and birds, though conservationists dispute it.
In fact, a fierce debate has been raging in the Stoke Poges parish magazine, where a decline in the local population of small birds was blamed on predatory kites. I myself incline to the view that they edge other species out by cornering the food supplies.
Red kites are as common as muck everywhere in the Chilterns now, including the towns. Beautiful and graceful birds.
Several times I've seen rooks attacking to drive them away from the rooks' territory.
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