Blameless red Kites; & COMMENT DEBATE YOUR LETTERS TO THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF WALES.

* SIR - Your article in Country & Farming ("Flying predators being blamed for fall in numbers of other birds", September 27), with a nice photo of a red Kite and the caption "birds such as red Kites are pushing some birds to extinction", is wrong in that it blames red Kites for the demise of woodland birds.

Red Kites live off dead animals although other raptors such as buzzards and goshawKs may be partly to blame. I thinK the main reason for the fall in woodland birds is in the last paragraph of your article, ie lacK of suitable habitat.

I heard recently that a farmer blamed the absence of hares these days on red Kites eating their leverets.

That is also wrong. You can get more information about red Kite numbers from the Welsh Kite Trust on 01597 825 981 or visit their web site at www.welshKitetrust.org COLIN FRANCIS Tetbury, Glos