A massive bird of prey with a wingspan of almost 6ft was released into the Ulster countryside some 200 years after the local population was hunted into oblivion.

With only a clutch of journalists and photographers witnessing the event at a secret location, the RSPB released the four birds on Monday.

The project is part of a coordinated effort across the British Isles to see the majestic bird re-established into its native habitat.

With an average wingspan of around 5.5ft, the birds will make a distinctive sight in the skies, with a total of 27 being released this next week and around a further 50 added to the area over the next two years.

The birds were originally hunted into extinction in less enlightened times but today the RSPB says they will be a sign of a healthy ecosystem.

RSPB officer Robert Straughan emphasised that pigeon fanciers and sheep farmers worried about their lambs have absolutely nothing to fear.

"Although it is a big bird it is actually not that powerful and they do not even bother with adult rabbits," he said.

"They have been seen near rabbits and have not paid any attention to them for this very reason, although they might take a young rabbit if they got the chance.

"So there is really no question of them ever bothering with lambs," he said.

"And even if a flock of birds was to fly past one you would never see them diving or swooping.

"They are just not adapted to that sort of hunting, they mainly take things like mice, frogs, insects, rats and carrion.

"In fact, if you think about it, that makes them quite a friend to the farmer in keeping down the populations of those sort of animals.

"Crows would be known to attack newborn lambs but red kite would actually take crow chicks from nests and compete with them for the same food.

"So as you can see they are actually quite a boon to have around for sheep farmers. At lambing time you may well see red kite in the fields with the sheep but what they are really after is the afterbirth."

The reintroduction of the bird into Northern Ireland has been given the blessing of the Ulster Farmers Union.

The red kite is easily recognised by its distinctive forked tail and striking rusty-red colour. It was on the brink of extinction as recently as 1977 when it was believed the entire population in the UK emanated from a single female.

Only in rural Wales did a small population of the birds survive historical persecution, such as poisoning and shooting. And it was from Wales that the chicks released into Northern Ireland yesterday were bred.

Mr Straughan said the birds could provide a tourist boost for the areas where they are being released.

"The red kite has become a conservation success story from the north of Scotland to the south of England, and the UK population now stands at 1,000 breeding pairs," he said.