The Common Kestrel, or European Kestrel is one of our Amber listed species for conservation concern in the UK, and one of the species that The Project is working hard to protect, conserve and recover through some of our wildlife projects – you can read more about this work here.
But – what is there to know about these amazing birds?
Kestrels are one of four native falcon species in the UK, and are most famous for their still hover, flying into the wind to sustain their position, thus enabling them to focus on the movements of their prey below. Favouring the short tailed field vole – they catch a variety of prey items from insects to earthworms to small rats, hovering and pouncing from a high vantage point being their preferred methods.
Kestrels usually breed once a year between April and July, laying 2-4 eggs a time. An average brood size is 2-3 chicks, but if just 1 or 2 young survive their first year of independence in the wild, that is a great success.
Changes in land use toward intensive farming resulted in the loss of ancient grassland that The Kestrel depends on for hunting, and climate change has affected the weather patterns that determine the availability of their prey. Combined with precense of chemical toxins in the environment, urban land development and other reasons, we have seen a signifficant decrease in Kestrel population over the last 30 years.
Our top 10 favourite facts about Kestrels!
- Kestrels have incredibly acute vision, and can likely see three times further away than us in six times more clarity!
- Despite popular myth, Kestrels don’t actually trace UV reflections from rodent urine, whilst they can see UV light, it is unlikely they can make out rodent trails. However they do follow the movement of their prey!
- You can tell an adult Male Kestrel apart from their stylish grey head and tail!
- Some Kestrels have wingspans up to 80 centimetres in length!
- Male Kestrels are smaller than females, weighing in at around 150 – 200g, whilst females come in around 200 – 260g.
- Kestrel mates are monogamous, meaning they prefer to stay together for life.
- Over 80% of their diet in the breeding season is compromised of Short Tailed Field Voles.
- Kestrels are pretty good theives – and have been known to snatch prey out of the talons of Barn Owls, or Short Eared Owls!
- Flexible feathers enable them to bend their feathers into the wind when hovering.
- Preferring to nest in hollow trees than build their own family homes, one of the likley reasons behind Kestrel decline is a loss of the mature woodland and wood pasture they once depended on.
You can learn more about Kestrels with a visit to The Project, where you might just catch Casper, our resident Kestrel, doing his thing in the 11am display. Casper enjoys an hour of free time before meeting us, ready to go for the morning display. You can book your tickets here.
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