Description
A Kestrel Nesting Box provides a window to a fascinating and much loved small bird of prey. Kestrels are perhaps our favourite and most iconic bird of prey. Their distinctive hovering flight and presence around farms, forestry and even motorways is a familiar sight. A mainstay of their diet is small rodents, making them very welcome visitors too. They don’t build a nest of their own, but will take over a crow’s nest or lay their eggs onto the surface of a suitable cavity or ledge such as in a hollow tree, a church spire or industrial sites such as lighting gantries and old towers. A nest box could be sited on a pole or an isolated tree (+6meters in height) in an open aspect
The Kestrel nesting box design provides the birds with shelter for their eggs and young and should be sited to give the adults a good all round view of the surrounding area. Site at least 5m high, ideally facing south east and with a clear flight path in. A perch is provided to ease access for adults and young. The box should be lined with wood chips or shredded bark to cocoon the eggs, but not sawdust that will retain moisture, rot easily and may clog drainage holes. Apart from the nest sites mentioned, young or newly planted forestry would be an ideal location where the presence of Kestrels might well protect young plants from rodent damage.
Note, Kestrel Nest Boxes are included in the new ACRES Agri Environment Scheme under the Barn Owl Nest Box Action.
Box Dimensions: 33 x 35 x 50 cm
Entry aperture opening: 30 x 20 cm
The Kestrel nesting box is made from long lasting, solid Cedar Wood and is supplied with a back/side plate and perch, both requiring fitting according to site conditions.
