The influence of habitat and the location of nest-boxes on the occupation of boxes and breeding success of the Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Abstract

Nest-boxes are often used for many bird species, not only passerine hole-nesters but also birds of prey. Increasing the availability of nest-sites, including artificial ones, is one strategy of habitat enhancement with specific conservations goals. One of the species that willingly inhabits boxes is the Kestrel Falco tinnunculus. We studied the influence of habitat in the vicinity of boxes, and nest-box locations, on their occupation and the breeding parameters of Kestrels in Central Europe, in Poland. We used data collected over 17 years for more than 400 nest-boxes. We found that Kestrels prefer nest-boxes hung on power poles and in areas with a lower proportion of forests. Breeding success decreased with the increasing proportion of grasslands and increased with the increasing number of individual trees. We did not find any environmental components with an impact on productivity of Kestrels. Our findings could be useful in future program planning and maintaining stable populations. We recommend locating boxes for Kestrels in arable lands or grassy areas with a mosaic of habitats away from bigger trees. Furthermore, we recommend hanging boxes on power poles and also to avoid hanging boxes on trees, especially near forests.