This year, Gigrin Farm, the Red Kite Feeding Centre is celebrating its 30th anniversary of welcoming visitors to view its unique conservation efforts.

On the encouragement of the RSPB, the farm officially opened its doors in 1993 as a way to increase the survival rate of red kites, by providing a supplementary feeding to aid the birds during harsh times.

Gigrin Farm is located in the very heart of the rolling hills of mid Wales where the majority of remaining native kites had established their stronghold in the late 20th century.

Thanks to the support of the public and visitors the farm has seen an encouraging increase in the once endangered species population, and today it feeds anywhere up to 600 red kites a day, every day.

Gigrin Farm is an independent, self-funded conservation effort that relies solely on its visitors to be able to continue supporting these majestic birds. Over the last three decades the farm has become world-renowned and is credited by many organisations for single-handedly increasing the numbers of native wild red kites not only in Wales but in the UK overall.

The red kite can now be found almost all over mainland Britain but is still considered synonymous with Wales and was officially named as the national bird of Wales in 2007.

In recent years Gigrin Farm has collaborated in international conservation programs aimed to reintroduce Welsh kites to Ireland to establish and enhance the Irish population.

Now entering its third decade, Gigrin Farm hopes the public will continue to support them in their goals of conservation of the red kites and to educate its visitors about these amazing animals.