Wakering & District
Natural History Society

The Common Kestrel(falco tinnunculus)

Article written by Richard Kirton

Photographs courtesy of Gill and John Threadgold

Although Kestrels are now protected by the law, they may be kept under licence and any birds that are bred in captivity should be closed ringed, where the ring can only be put on soon after hatching.

In 1968 a classic British film called 'Kes' was made in the Yorkshire mining town of Barnsley. This successful film was based on the life of a boy named Billy who finds a baby Kestrel which becomes the focus of his life.

John Threadgold is quite passionate about Kestrels and has been providing nest boxes for them at Oxenham farm for almost 30 years now. In 1982 he erected another box near Landwick using an estate agents sign as cladding for the front and roof.

The sign was immediately effective, since within 2 hours of erecting the box, a Kestrel had moved in.

There have been times when all four nest boxes have been occupied but within the last ten years Kestrel numbers have been in decline locally, so much so that only two out of the four boxes were occupied last year.

Although kestrels mature within a year they do not normally mate until their second year. They start their breeding activity each February defending only a small territory immediately around the nest. Kestrels do not build their own nests and readily accept purpose built nest boxes courtesy of friendly farmers.

John puts a mixture of dirt and sawdust on the bottom of each box and the Kestrels are happy to nest on this along with their own pellets. Pellets are the regurgitated bones, fur and feathers that are not digested.

The Common Kestrel

• Is the most abundant and widespread bird of prey in the UK.
• Can be found all year round from coastline to hilltop, nesting almost anywhere they can find a good supply of food and a suitable nest site.
• In towns and cities they will feed over parks and gardens.
• Will nest in holes or on ledges in natural places such as cliffs or trees or the nests of other birds such as crows.
• Church spires, tall buildings and structures such as pylons and cranes and even window boxes are frequently used for nesting purposes.
• Hovers beautifully, about twenty feet from the ground or may perch on a post, telegraph pole or overhead cable watching for prey.
• Kestrel's main prey is small mammals, especially voles but will feed on many birds such as finches, larks, lapwing and turtle doves.
• Kestrels will avoid dense forests, vast treeless wetlands and mountains.
• During winter some upland birds move into lowland areas to avoid the colder weather.
• Similar species include the Merlin, Hobby and Sparrow Hawk
• A Kestrel gives out a shrill 'kee-kee-kee'.

The same nest box is often used year after year and it has been known for Kestrels to use the same nesting site for decades. If food is plentiful, the female Kestrel normally lays between three and six eggs at the end of April or early May.

Eggs are normally laid at two-day intervals, incubation starting after the third egg is laid and almost a month later in June the chicks hatch.

During and after the incubation period, food is always provided by the male but the female will hunt if the supply of food is very low.

Kestrel chicks fledge when they are 32/33 days old and unlike most birds of prey, they do not tend to fight with each other.

They are content to fly, perch and roost together even for some time after fledging.