A Red Kite has made an extraordinary escape after being accidentally trapped in a roll-on/roll-off food waste skip that travelled from Calne to Avonmouth.
Footage captured during unloading showed a bird flying out, which workers first mistook for a gull. Closer inspection revealed a bedraggled bird of prey caught among the waste.
Staff contacted Secret World Wildlife Rescue based in Somerset for advice, initially believing the bird to be a sparrowhawk. The following morning, the unusual passenger arrived at the centre – dishevelled, smelly, but miraculously uninjured.
To the team’s surprise, the bird was identified as a Red Kite – a rare admission for the charity. After being cleaned up, rehydrated, and given rest, the kite soon began feeding independently and showing positive signs of recovery.
It will next be transferred to a large aviary to rebuild its strength and condition its feathers, before being released back into the wild.
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