Historically, the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) has been very successful, as is evidenced by its large breeding range, which includes much of the Americas from Alaska to the southern tip of South America. Kestrels are the smallest, most common and most widespread falcons in North America.
According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, Kestrels have experienced over a 50% decline in population across their range since 1966, and, if current trends continue, the species could lose another 50% in its population by 2075. It appears that Connecticut and Massachusetts have followed the trend, with this decline. Here in Suffield, looking back on 33 years of doing the Hartford Audubon Spring Census, the trend is not as bad as in many areas. Over that time span, with an average of 14 observers doing the Census, we have had zero to five observers seeing at least one Kestrel each year, with an average of just under three. I think this is partly due to the amount of open space in Suffield, because its favorite habitat is tall grass (not a lawn), or open wetlands in size from 20 to 50 acres.
While bald eagles, peregrine falcons and other raptor species have rebounded in North America since the banning of DDT in the 1970s, American Kestrels populations have continued to drop. Reasons for this decline are not well understood and researchers are currently evaluating several limiting factors, including habitat loss, nesting cavity scarcity, competition for nesting cavities, insecticides, decline in prey abundance, West Nile virus, fledgling mortality due to the increasing numbers of Cooper’s hawks and elevated mortality during migration or over wintering periods. There appears to be no smoking gun but rather several threats working together.
So, the Suffield Land Conservancy has been looking at a project to help with one of the possible causes, nesting cavity scarcities, and helping with research. We have tentatively set a public meeting at the Suffield Ambulance Center at 205 Bridge Street for Wednesday January 8 at 7 p.m. to talk about the Kestrels in general and about our proposed Kestrel project.
Please check our website SuffieldLandConservancy.org for any updates in timing and additional information. Excerpts of this article have been taken from Audubon and Massachusetts Wildlife magazine.