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Rare black-winged kite spotted in Norfolk Broads

Stephen Huntley/BBC Birdwatchers in NorfolkStephen Huntley/BBC
Birdwatchers have flocked to Norfolk for what is only the second recorded sighting of a black-winged kite in the United Kingdom

A bird of prey has been spotted in the UK for only the second time on record.

The black-winged kite was seen at Hickling Broad and Marshes, Norfolk, on Tuesday, Norfolk Wildlife Trust said.

It was then spotted by birdwatchers two kilometres away at Horsey on Wednesday morning, before flying in the direction of Winterton.

The species is primarily found in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia, although they are also established in Spain, Portugal and France.

The sighting comes after the bird was first recorded in the UK near Newtown, Powys, in April. But it is not known if the bird seen in Norfolk is one and the same.

Robert Morgan, from Norfolk Wildlife Trust, said the Hickling reserve had seen a "rush of visitors" since the sighting was announced.

He said: "It is incredible that a non-migratory bird of prey that has spread from north Africa into Europe has now turned up in Norfolk - and even more special that it has chosen to show at Hickling."

Andrew Turner/BBC Dave Horton birdwatching near Hickling BroadAndrew Turner/BBC
Dave Horton travelled from Holt, in Norfolk, to Hickling Broad to catch a glimpse of the black-winged kite

Dave Horton, 66, a keen birdwatcher, travelled across Norfolk from Holt to Hickling Broad on Tuesday to try to catch a glimpse of the kite.

"I missed the bird by two minutes," he said. "I came back here today and I missed it by 20 minutes.

"I'm hopeful that it hasn't gone way back north. The weather is not as clear as it was yesterday. So hopefully it will still be around and someone will relocate it.

"Being Norfolk, there's a lot of interest in birds, so there's a great deal of interest in it."

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Getty Images Black-winged kiteGetty Images
It is only the second recorded sighting of a black-winged kite in the United Kingdom (library image)

Black-winged kite

  • Wingspan: 77-92cm (30-36in)
  • Found in parts of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa
  • Inhabits open areas such as grasslands, savannahs and marshes
  • Feed on rodents, reptiles, insects, bats, and other birds
  • Nests in trees and breeds at any time of the year or during a well-defined breeding season

Source: The Peregrine Fund

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Prof Richard Gregory, head of monitoring conservation science at the RSPB, said: "For people that bump into these birds it's an amazing thing but at the same time the good news is mixed with bad news.

"We know and we've predicted for some time that climate change is going to push lots of animals, birds and butterflies further north, as the conditions become more appropriate for them to live.

"So the black-winged kite is among a few birds that are popping-up, that were once incredibly rare in the United Kingdom.

"Quite a few people have suspected and predicted that black-winged kites will be breeding [in the UK] in the next 10 years or so."

Marcus Nash/The Bird ID Company Black-winged kite in NorfolkMarcus Nash/The Bird ID Company
Some birdwatchers have been lucky to photograph, at distance, the black-winged kite over the Broads in Norfolk
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