Pleasing news: Red kite in Saxony reach record numbers!

Pleasing news: Red kite in Saxony reach record numbers!

Fortunately, the landscape in Saxony is more and more evident in the bright colors of the red kite. The existence of these majestic birds of prey, which are among the largest domestic species, has increased in recent years. According to a report by the Saxon bird protection station in Neschwitz, the number of red kite has increased by impressive 30 percent in the past ten years. In 2025, 61 breeding pairs were already counted in the region, and fortunately two thirds of these couples also have their own offspring.

The exact observation and count takes place on an area of around 400 square kilometers, where the nests are regularly checked. Every year in spring, the team sets off to check whether the nests are occupied and whether the young birds have successfully flown out. This year a total of 62 young birds could be sailed, but this is a slight decline compared to previous years - but this moves in the context of the natural fluctuations that nature brings. This information has provided the Saxon Vogelschutzwarte Neschwitz sponsorship association, which has meticulously pursued this development for over eleven years. MDR reports that this is a positive turn after the strong declines at the beginning of the 2000s.

a success story for the red kite

But what triggered this positive development? The red kite, with an exciting body size of up to 70 cm and an impressive wing span of up to 165 cm, is particularly important for Germany. According to the Landesbund for Vogelschutz, around 60 percent of the global inventory lives in Germany. This makes our responsibility enormously for the protection of this kind. After a decline of 30 percent in the past 20 years, the signs are now much better.

The causes of the original decline are complex: about intensive agriculture, disorders during the breeding season and losses from power lines and wind turbines contributed to the fact that the stocks went dramatically into the basement. But it is becoming apparent that targeted protective measures are pondered. With various projects and awareness campaigns, the support association and other nature conservation organizations have contributed to raising awareness of the need to maintain these beautiful birds.

With a climber who gently takes the young birds down in a special bag and brings them back to the nest after the ratio, everything is done as part of the controls that these birds also have a future in their natural environment. The increase in red kite in Saxony is not only positive news for bird lovers and conservationists, but a sign that committed protective measures can pay off.