Our goal is to establish a breeding population of the native American Kestrel in the Triangle region of NC. 

As cavity-nesters, Kestrels rely on suitable structures, like large dead trees with cavities, to house their chicks. Without nest sites, Kestrels are excluded from otherwise excellent habitats. Although their annual range extends across the state, American Kestrels are virtually absent as breeders in the NC Piedmont. We posit this is primarily due to a lack of suitable nest sites.

Kestrels love open spaces including old fields, farms and pasture land with lots of exposed perches--like telephone wires, fence posts and dead trees. They are sustained by an active community of flying insects and small rodents, which they catch with great skill.

We are seeking to identify parcels with suitable habitat to install kestrel nest boxes as well as volunteers to assist with construction, installation and monitoring. 

About Kestrels

info from The Peregrine Fund

The American Kestrel is one of the most beautiful falcons in North America.
Its feather patterns of blues, reds, grays, browns, and blacks make this small bird of prey a real eye-catcher! Apart from their good looks, American Kestrels are also swift fliers with astounding aerobatic abilities.

Kestrels, like a few other birds of prey, are very good at hovering. With the help of a good headwind, kestrels can flap their wings vigorously and maneuver their tail to stay in one spot, like a helicopter in mid-air, while searching the ground for prey. Though it is a small bird, the kestrel needs strength, agility, and stamina to maintain this static flight. When you see kestrels in flight, notice how their wings, tail feathers, heads, bodies and even feet all change shape and direction to help this amazing bird achieve such aerial feats.

If you have the opportunity to watch a kestrel in flight, enjoy it! You may see it dive in a deep stoop and perhaps catch a meal.

Why they need our help

The American Kestrel is still one of the most widespread raptors in North America, but this does not mean everything is rosy for the species. Studies show that since the 1960s, the kestrel population in North America has declined by nearly 50%, with rates of decline as high as 93% in some local geographic regions. More concerning—no one really knows why.  When a once common animal starts to become not-so-common, action needs to be taken.

Potential causes may include loss of habitat, increased predation by other birds of prey, pesticides or other chemicals, and competition for nesting sites from species like the European Starling that were not historically found in North America but were brought here by people. Recent research has indicated that rather than one single cause, a complex interplay of factors is likely responsible, with kestrels in various regions responding differently to similar threats or facing different threats altogether. 

What they eat

American Kestrels feed mainly on insects, mice, voles, lizards, and snakes, making this bird a very good friend to farmers! Like the Common Barn-owl and many other birds of prey, American Kestrels help keep agricultural fields free of animals that might damage crops.

When hunting, American Kestrels search for prey from a perch overlooking an open area or by hovering in the air. When a kestrel spots its prey, it plunges down, in what's called a stoop, to catch it. Kestrels usually capture their prey on the ground, though they can also take prey in the air. After catching their prey, kestrels will carry it up to a perch (such as a power line or fence post) from which they can comfortably eat. Being up high keeps them away from ground predators, though they still have to watch out for other birds that might attack them or steal their catch.

Nest, eggs and young

Like other falcons, kestrels don’t build their own nests. Instead, they lay their eggs in cavities in trees, cacti, and cliffs. They also nest in nesting boxes made by people or in crevices in buildings. It is important to note that even though kestrels nest in tree cavities, they are unable to make these cavities themselves. They rely on the work of other birds, such as woodpeckers, to provide them with good sites! They also readily use human-made nest boxes, making them a fairly easy species to study during the breeding season.

American Kestrels, like many birds of prey, are solitary, meaning they spend most of their time alone. The exception to this is during breeding season. The male and female spend a lot of time together during courtship and breeding and while raising young. During courtship, a male kestrel brings the female gifts, but she isn't interested in flowers or chocolates. She finds headless mice or dead lizards much more appealing!

Females usually lay four to six eggs that are white with brown spots. The final egg is usually lighter in color than the others, which is thought to be due to the female being strapped for resources after laying an entire clutch. Both the male and female help incubate the eggs. When the adults incubate the eggs, they sit on them to keep them at the perfect temperature. This is important for the healthy development of the young nestlings inside. After about 29 days, the young kestrels hatch.

While they are growing, kestrel nestlings eat about two times more than the adults do—consuming two or three mice a day! About 28-31 days after hatching, the nestlings are grown and ready to take their first flight. For any bird, the first flights are the most precarious. They leave the nest and, though their parents are still around to protect them, young inexperienced birds can get into a lot of trouble. They have to learn to recognize and evade predators and they can be injured or killed when they fly into windows, are hit by cars, or become tangled up in barbed wire fences. Placing a nest box away from roads and fences can help provide the young kestrels with a safe environment in which to practice hunting and evade danger. American Kestrels are able to reproduce as early as one year of age.

all photos from Cornell Lab All About Birds