Poison caused death of red kite

A programme to reintroduce protected red kites to Ireland has received a setback with the poisoning of one of the birds, which was found in Wicklow Town. It died despite the efforts of local vets to save it.

Laboratory tests confirmed the bird died after consuming two highly toxic, banned pesticides — carbofuran and alphachloralose — the first case of both substances being found in a kite carcass.

It is suspected the bird had been feeding on carrion placed in the countryside and illegally laced with these chemicals, banned by the Department of Agriculture since 2008. The dead bird was the offspring of an adult female poisoned by alphachloralose just over a year ago near Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow.