“4th International Red Kite Congress” brings together experts from across Europe in Binaced to address the conservation of this endangered bird

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“4th International Red Kite Congress” brings together experts from across Europe in Binaced to address the conservation of this endangered bird

  • The Binaced/Valcarca City Council, the Fondo de Amigos del Buitre, BirdWings and Fundación Iberdrola España are organising the 4th International Red Kite Congress, taking place from 29 January to 1 February 2026
  • This event brings together more than 120 experts from nine countries to update current knowledge on this threatened raptor, review its status and define how to continue its conservation over the coming years at the European scale

4th International Red Kite Congress

Experts from Germany, Austria, Spain, France, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will present the most up‑to‑date studies and findings on the red kite in Europe. The congress brings together the main stakeholders involved in the conservation and management of the species: researchers, environmental administration specialists, representatives from the energy sector, forest rangers, NGOs, farmers and livestock breeders. This broad representation is essential to ensure that the knowledge shared during the congress becomes a foundation for future European conservation programmes.

The congress features 59 presentations organised into nine sessions and four round tables, addressing the current status and population trends, ecology and health of the species, and—most importantly—its threats and conservation status. All the findings and updated scientific data gathered will allow the congress to produce fundamental conclusions for the conservation of this “Endangered” raptor over the coming years.

In addition, a programme of parallel activities showcases the cultural and natural heritage of the surrounding area: controlled visits to the largest red kite roost, bird‑watching excursions, cultural tours through Binaced, and a field trip to present the ambitious conservation project taking place locally. The field trip concludes with a demonstration by a canine patrol led by forest rangers, showing how trained dogs detect deceased specimens in the field.

The congress has been organised by the Binaced/Valcarca City Council, the Fondo de Amigos del Buitre, BirdWings and Fundación Iberdrola España, with support from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, the Government of Aragón, the Huesca Provincial Council and the Comarca del Cinca Medio, among others. The event also forms part of the activities planned for Iberdrola’s 125th anniversary.

For Javier Sorinas, Mayor of Binaced/Valcarca:

“Hosting this congress is yet another major recognition of the work carried out by the residents of this municipality to conserve local biodiversity and birds of prey.”

Isaac Claver, President of the Huesca Provincial Council, stated:

“This fourth congress is not being held here by chance. Binaced is one of the most important sites in the world for the wintering of the red kite. But it is also hosted here because this municipality has successfully transformed that uniqueness into a long‑term project, with strong management capacity, clear priorities and a willingness to lead from the rural environment.” Claver congratulated the City Council and its team for turning “a natural heritage asset” into “knowledge, science and visibility for Binaced and for the entire province,” while also highlighting the involvement of local residents, “who understand that protecting biodiversity is not an obstacle to development, but one of its greatest strengths.”

For Jaime Alfonsín, president of Fundación Iberdrola España:

“The red kite is an endangered species, and its survival is essential for various ecosystems, both in Europe and in our country. For this reason, Fundación Iberdrola España is deeply committed to the protection of this raptor, as well as other bird species. This 4th International Red Kite Congress is crucial not only to understand the evolution of the species over the past decade, but also because it once again places Binaced on the map, as it is home to one of the most important wintering populations of red kite in the world.”

The red kite and the importance of the area

The red kite is a raptor species endemic to Europe and is listed as “Endangered” in Spain. It is migratory, and populations from central and northern Europe spend the winter in Spain, which hosts around 50,000 wintering individuals, making the country essential for the conservation of this highly threatened species.

Within the municipality of Binaced (Huesca) lies one of the most important wintering populations of red kite in the world. The area includes a feeding station for the species, managed by the Fondo de Amigos del Buitre, Fundación Iberdrola España and BirdWings, which supports around 1,500 individuals each winter (3% of Spain’s wintering population, 25% of Aragón’s and 43% of Huesca’s).

Since last year, conservation efforts have also focused on the largest red kite roost in Spain, which hosts individuals arriving from across Europe.

All of this makes Binaced an ideal location for this important event, which hosts an international red kite congress for the second time. The success of the 2nd International Red Kite Congress in 2015 inspired the organisation of this new edition.