What's happening to Kestrels? (1 Viewer)

Ptarmi · Oct 4, 2009

Yesterday, while out walking my dogs late in the evening, I was absolutely delighted to see a female Kestrel.

A few years ago, this would have been a daily sighting for me, when we lived just a few miles away. However, this sighting was well worth noting, for me at least, because this is the first Kestrel I've seen for over a year, on my patch here!

So can anyone tell me what's happening to the Kestrel population, here?

Is it actually on decline throughout the whole of Northern Ireland?

Has anyone else noticed a drop in numbers here, of these delightful little birds, or is this just happening up her in my area?

If we are losing Kestrels, why should this be happening, when Buzzards seem to be on the increase?

Cheers
Dick

s. james · Oct 6, 2009

I would say they've declined in the north Armagh area in the past few years but just anecdotal evidence really. Maybe the Bird Atlas will reveal more.

Ptarmi · Oct 10, 2009

Well s. james, it looks like their numbers are dropping in other areas, too.

'Hawk & Owl Trust' pilots roadside Kestrel project.

The Hawk & Owl Trust plan for 240 kestrel nestboxes along 240 miles of highway.

"Kestrel Highways, a new Hawk and Owl Trust project to find out whether lack of nesting sites is the reason for the falcon's dramatic decline, starts its pilot phase this autumn.

Backed by funding from the renowned conservationist Dr Luc Hoffmann, it will establish whether providing nestboxes in suitable feeding habitat will help reverse the falcon's population slump."

If you live in any of these target areas, you can help.

ENGLAND

A303, Deptford to Amesbury, Wiltshire
A38, Mendips to Bristol, Somerset
A38, Almondsbury to Woodford, Gloucestershire
A272, Winchester, Hampshire to Haywards Heath, West Sussex
A148, King's Lynn to Cromer, Norfolk
A171, Scarborough to Whitby, North Yorkshire

WALES - A 465, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, to Hereford

SCOTLAND - Details to be confirmed

Click HERE to report a sighting.

Trust pilots roadside kestrel project

Cheers
Dick

Monahawk · Oct 12, 2009

Used to have them nesting on my patch. They used to be a common sight around Monaghan, but in the last couple of years they have become quite scarce for some unknown reason.

They still seem to be doing quite well in the Dundalk Bay region of Co. Louth.

hpux · Oct 13, 2009

feature in the Irish Times on this recently. Apparantly they are in steep decline in Ireland. I still tend to see a fair few by the roadside while driving

Monahawk · Oct 13, 2009

Could be the increase in Buzzards ,Sparrowhawks and Peregrines[competition for food] is having a detrimental affect on their numbers. Kestrels can even fall prey to the latter two birds.

stevensi · Oct 13, 2009

Hi all,

I reported on the Dublin site that i saw 6 kestrels on Sunday along the motorway from Cork to Dublin. Every time on that journey I see at least one or two but to see 6 was a real treat...

Ptarmi · Oct 13, 2009

stevensi said:
Hi all,

I reported on the Dublin site that i saw 6 kestrels on Sunday along the motorway from Cork to Dublin. Every time on that journey I see at least one or two but to see 6 was a real treat...

Kind of ironic to think that something so modern, and such a blight on our landscapes, as the Motorway, might actually be helping to save the Kestrel.

Thanks for the nod on that Irish Times article hpux.

Kestrel now on endangered birds list

Cheers
Dick

What's happening to Kestrels? (1 Viewer)

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