Do kestrels use nest boxes?
Because American Kestrels don’t create their own nests, they will choose a variety of cavity types. This includes barn and roof crevices, old woodpecker cavities, and constructed nest boxes. American Kestrels will readily use boxes for breeding during spring and even roosting during winter.
How rare are kestrels in the UK?
Despite a significant decline in the 1970s and 1980s, there are still 31,000 pairs of kestrels in the UK, making it one of our most common birds of prey. However they are less commonly found in Northern Ireland and north-west Scotland.
How do you attract a kestrel?
To attract and keep American kestrels in your area, your land management plan should support open, vegetated fields for kestrels to use as hunting grounds. Kestrels also require nesting cavities and perching locations. Adding nest boxes often makes previously unsuitable habitat suitable.
How do I keep starlings out of my kestrel box?
Simply restricting the size of the entrance hole of a nest box should be enough to give the smaller birds access while keep starlings out. If your target species are larger cavity-nesting birds, like American Kestrels, you may have to actively deter starlings from your area.
How do you set up a kestrel box?
Fill the box with 2″-3″ of woodchips, but not sawdust. A 3″ entrance hole is placed on the front of a 15″ deep box with the entrance hole located 12″-13″ above the floor. The floor area of the box is 7-3/4″ by 9-1/4″ with a 2” layer of coarse wood shavings on the floor.
How high should a kestrel nest box be?
The height of the box can be 10 to 15 feet from the ground (see diagram on this page). It is very important to check the house weekly in the spring to keep Starlings and other undesirables out of the house.
What time of year do kestrels nest?
April
The kestrels year The timing of egg laying is dependent on the weather, but the female normally lays her clutch of 3-6 eggs in late April or early May. She is only able to produce eggs if she can get enough food. In years when vole numbers are low, many kestrels fail to nest at all.
Do you need a license to keep a kestrel?
As already stated in previous pages, you do not need a licence to own a bird of prey in captivity, BUT you do need paperwork for some species to prove they have been lawfully captive bred.
What does a kestrel eat?
Voles are by far the most important food for kestrels, although they regularly take other small mammals such as woodmice and shrews, small birds, insects and earthworms.
Do house sparrows use nest boxes?
House sparrows and starlings will readily use nestboxes placed high up under the eaves. Keep these away from areas where house martins normally nest. Two boxes close together may be occupied by the same species if they are at the edge of adjoining territories and there is plenty of natural food.
Where can I put a kestrel nest box?
Our nestbox design can be fixed either to trees, poles or buildings in undisturbed locations close to grassland and with good visibility. You can print the plan for a kestrel nestbox here. Find out more information about kestrels.
How many kestrels are there in the UK?
Kestrels are no longer such a common sight as they were, hovering alongside motorways and field margins. Estimates suggest that the UK population has reduced from over 100,000 in the early 1970s to under 40,000 pairs today. Help these iconic raptors by providing a good nest site with our Kestrel Nest Box.
What causes a kestrel to abandon its nest?
Additionally, poorly placed boxes (for example, those placed by loud, busy roads) can cause females to abandon their nest. Regular monitoring and maintenance of your boxes enables you to remove starlings (if you wish) and collect data on the reproductive success of the kestrels nesting in your box.
Where does an American kestrel lay its eggs?
The American Kestrel is a cavity nester, usually nesting in tree cavities, building crevices, rock shelters or nest boxes. They do not bring nesting material into the nest and eggs are often laid directly on the floor of the nesting structure.