National Red Kite Communal Roost Site count January 2024
Each year in early January there is a National Red Kite Communal Roost Site count that YRK contribute and submit to. Below are the numbers and total, 2024 for Yorkshire.
East Yorkshire: 143 birds over 2 locations (max of 103)
North Yorkshire: 235 birds over 7 locations (max of 83)
West Yorkshire: 157 birds over 2 locations (max of 107)
A grand total of 535 birds over 11 locations.
Why do kites attend a communal roost?
Play’ is often common before the birds finally roost and maybe the ones that have found sufficient food earlier in the day and are ‘fed up’ have time on their hands. Play can be seen as carrying objects, twigs etc, dropping and catching them with others joining in. There are often aerial chases and mock fights, especially on windy days when not much energy is expended, giving young birds the chance to learn and improve skills. It may be that come the following day, hungry birds can ‘share information’ and follow other individuals to a known food source, sometimes called ‘network foraging’. It is also likely that unpaired young birds may find a mate in the opportunity to socialise at the communal roost.