Gigrin Farm: Incredibly rare 'white' red kites stun bird lovers at Welsh bird of prey farm

A pair of incredibly rare pale-hued red kites have stunned visitors to a popular Welsh bird of prey viewing site.

The birds were spotted at Gigrin Farm in Rhayader, Powys, which feeds red kites upon special request from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) - to both help young birds over the winter, and give the public a place to see them away from vulnerable nesting sites. The daily spectacle is open to photographers and members of the public, and often attracts upwards of 300 raptors.

Owner Dominique Powell said in a statement that the 'white' red kite has been spotted several times over the past few months. "We think the kite may be roosting nearby because we... see it flying low around the farm most mornings and evenings," she said.

But there were actually three different white kites they were aware of that visited the farm on occasion, and on Wednesday (14 February), visitors were lucky enough to see two of them appear at once for feeding time. White - formally known as 'leucistic' - red kites are very rare, and the Gigrin team believe there are only around 10 to 12 of the birds worldwide, although this is not verified.

Leucism is a genetic mutation in animals where they develop less melanin in their fur or feathers, giving them a pale r white appearance. In birds it can result in complete or partial absence of colour in one or more feathers, but not in the eyes, bill or feet, giving them white patches in all or part of their plumage. Albinism is another condition which causes a white appearance, but this usually affects the whole body - typically giving the animal red or pink eyes.

"We have rehabilitation aviaries on the farm and a white red kite was the first ‘patient’ in the aviaries back in 2003. After a short period in the aviary this female bird was released to the wild," Ms Powell said. There is a chance the other white kites may be her descendants, having inherited her mutation.

How can I see these rare birds for myself?

Gigrin Farm is open to visitors at varying times throughout the year. Opening times and prices can be found on the website here. There are viewing hides for the general public and specialised hides for professional photographers and film makers.

Access to the farm is strictly by ticket only. The kites are currently fed each day at 2pm, but this will become 3pm from the end of March when the clocks change.