Last spring, I reported on a fledgling conservation project that the Harris Center launched in the Monadnock Region, in which large nest boxes mounted on tall posts dotted a couple of dozen private ownerships in several towns.
Built and installed by Harris Center staff and volunteers, the boxes were strategically placed in open landscapes such as hayfields, pastures and other large fields, to provide nesting sites for the American Kestrel, a small species of falcon.
Kestrels truly need our help, as they’ve declined across their breeding range in North America and have especially been losing ground – literally – in the Northeast, where historic nesting sites have filled in with both forests and development. Their choice nesting cavities, even where habitat still remains, are limited.
For many years, it seemed as though supplying nest boxes would be a simple solution to helping their populations rebound. However, as we’ve learned, the problem is a lot more complicated as unmitigated factors like insect decline, competition with other species, pesticides and other factors associated with the expanding footprint of human pressures continue to limit their populations. But every kestrel pair is important, and the nest box project has seen some early successes in drawing new pairs to the region.
The Harris Center’s Kestrel Conservation Project has more than doubled in size over the last two years and now consists of 49 nest boxes across 20 towns. Despite the increased number of available nest cavities, we’re learning that kestrel population recovery is a slow process, and it’s accomplished in small steps. Just like recovery itself, sometimes it’s one step forward and two steps back. And that’s exactly how the recent 2025 breeding season played out.
This year, staff and volunteers recorded kestrel breeding activity in 11 territories, most in or around our nest boxes. Of these locations, five boxes produced fledglings (one fewer than in 2024), yielding 21 young (down four from last year). Three of these sites were long-standing locations, showing strong nest site fidelity as adults returned to use the same nests.
However, three former nest sites were unsuccessful this season, including one in Jaffrey where a breeding adult became trapped in a hayloft and perished — a hazard for kestrels due to their close association with farms and buildings.
Despite a greatly expanded scope, only 10% of nest boxes had successful kestrel nests this season. But the news was not all bad. Kestrels nested in two boxes for the first time, fledging young successfully from Harrisville and Peterborough, offering encouraging signs of the kestrel’s range expansion. Jaffrey and Peterborough are emerging as local kestrel hotspots, so this may be an area for further growth as fledged young return to seek out nesting sites in future years.
Other areas of growth include a new partnership with the Vermont Institute for Natural Sciences, which allowed us to begin testing kestrels for lead and rodenticides – two threats to many species of raptors, including kestrels. Preliminary results showed chicks from one Walpole nest tested positive for an anticoagulant rodenticide, a known threat to raptors. Several chicks and one adult female also now sport color bands, enabling the public to identify them in the field and helping biologists track movement patterns and longevity if the birds are re-sighted and reported.
Thanks to the dedication of supporters, volunteers and landowners, the Harris Center’s fledgling project has banded and monitored 62 fledgling kestrels over the past three seasons, all of which is sanctioned by state and federal permits. We have found that many landowners are willing to take action to benefit kestrels, and their stewardship of kestrel habitat is also beneficial to other species of open-country birds and wildlife. Timing of mowing, use of chemicals and provision of a diversity of habitats and habitat features are some of the considerations related to responsibly and intentionally stewarding these
landscapes for kestrels and other wildlife.
Landowners can reach out to UNH Cooperative Extension specialists or their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offices to learn more about open field management that strikes the best balance for their needs and those of wildlife. Though our knowledge of kestrels continues to deepen, our project — like other kestrel nest box programs — still faces challenges in boosting populations. Some of that responsibility lies in everyone’s hands, and there are many ways we can be better stewards of birds and an environment that keeps us all heathier.
As community scientists and supporters of the Harris Center’s bird conservation efforts, you can participate in or financially support bird monitoring efforts, submit your sightings to www.eBird.org, and continue to support local and regional conservation efforts that prioritize responsible habitat stewardship.
A world with kestrels is a better place. They add diversity to our landscapes, provide natural pest control, and bring color, charisma, and adaptability to human-altered spaces. They offer moments of joy, wonder and connection to the natural world. Protecting kestrels and stewarding open spaces go hand in hand — and benefit us all.
For more information about the Harris Center’s Kestrel Conservation Project, visit
https://harriscenter.org/conservation-research/wildlife-research/birds/conserving-american-kestrels.
Phil Brown is Bird Conservation Director at the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock and can be reached at brown@harriscenter.org.