A red kite spotted carrying a sausage roll in its talons has been linked to a specific source following the identification by a local family in Oxfordshire. The bird was photographed holding the pastry after it was left out as food in a garden, resolving the mystery behind the unusual snack.

The incident took place in Banbury, Oxfordshire, where amateur photographer Mark Hopkins captured images of the large bird of prey soaring overhead with the sausage roll visible in its grip. Hopkins, 57, a welder from the area, said he often sees red kites flying but had never witnessed one carrying food before. While initially uncertain about the object, the photographs clearly showed the bird clutching a fresh pastry.

The sausage roll was traced back to John Oxenham, 67, a retired commercial pilot, and his wife Samantha Frewin, 47, a retired HM Revenue and Customs worker, both residing in South Newington, Oxfordshire. After a visit to Samantha’s mother in Kent for Mother’s Day, the couple brought back a batch of homemade sausage rolls. John said he regularly places food scraps outside for garden birds and had left some of the sausage roll pieces out shortly after returning home.

Upon seeing the viral photographs, the family immediately recognized the sausage rolls as those baked by Samantha’s mother. “I’m the culprit who put out the sausage rolls,” Oxenham said, explaining how he connected the images of the bird to their home. Samantha added that she first noticed the photo on social media, realizing quickly that the snack belonged to her mother.

The couple expressed amusement over the bird’s choice of prey. John remarked that while other local birds favor different foods, he was glad the red kite was attracted to something like a sausage roll rather than less desirable options like rodents. The presence of red kites in the UK has grown steadily, with an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 breeding pairs, many of which are adapting to urban environments.

Hopkins reflected on the rarity of the sighting, noting the bird’s impressive size and the unexpected capture of it carrying such an unusual snack. The photographs have since gained popularity, drawing attention to the increasingly common urban encounters with wildlife such as red kites and their evolving feeding habits.