New-builds for local kestrels

Nidderdale Moorland Group

Over Christmas one of our moorland gamekeepers took the time to build three new specialist nest boxes for our local Kestrels.

Between 1995-2008 the UK lost one-fifth of its Kestrel population: sharp decline for this once commonly seen bird of prey.

This decline has been linked to the rapid rise in the population of larger birds of prey such as the Peregrine and Goshawk who predate Kestrels.

However the rapid increase in the Common Buzzard population, now our most common bird of prey, is thought to be having the most impact on the declining Kestrel population, as alongside predating the Kestrel they also compete with the smaller falcon for prey such as Field Voles.

Kestrels can be found in a range of habitats from our managed moorlands and upland pastures to farmland, parks, roadside verges and urban areas.

They can often be seen perched on telegraph poles or tree branches as they search for prey below or 'hovering', even in the high winds we are experiencing at the moment, with their heads held still as they pinpoint prey by sight below, such as mice, shrews, Field Voles or insects, worms and beetles.

Nests can found in tree holes, old buildings, abandoned crow nests and man made nest boxes and, by erecting more of these boxes in the coming weeks, we hope to provide more safe, covered nest sites for these small, iconic Falcons around the dale.