Goals:

The American Kestrel is colorful, easy to identify, widespread, and has a strong affinity for nest-boxes—all of which make it an ideal candidate for research supported by citizen science. In fact, many professional and citizen scientists are already managing nest-box monitoring programs, but the programs tend to be isolated from one another in a research context. The American Kestrel Partnership is a research network consisting of citizen and professional scientists, focused primarily on generating data for modeling and understanding the relationships between nesting demographics (e.g., phenology/timing, occupancy, survival, and productivity) and environmental conditions like climate, soil, land use, and competition with or predation by other bird species, based primarily on remotely sensed and readily available data. The Partnership is producing spatially and temporally extensive demographic information by 1) supporting development and maintenance of a spatially extensive network of independently managed nest-box monitoring programs, 2) developing and administrating a Partnership website for sharing research and education resources; and managing, illustrating, and sharing data to promote meta-analytical research, and 3) supporting professional scientists in developing more comprehensive demographics by sampling and modeling fledgling and adult demographic and toxicological parameters at a subsample of nest-box monitoring programs. The data and models generated by the Partnership will ultimately support large-scale conservation strategies for kestrel habitat and populations.

Background:

Data indicate American Kestrel populations are declining in numerous regions of North America, but existing data are largely insufficient for understanding and mitigating declines. Citizen and professional scientists continue to generate large quantities of nest-box monitoring data, but the isolated nature of monitoring programs has largely restricted production of meta-analytical research on kestrel demographics at extensive spatial scales. The American Kestrel Partnership is an international research network designed to generate large-scale demographic data and models with direct application to the conservation and restoration of kestrel habitat and populations. The Partnership unites the data-generating capacity of citizen scientists with the data-analysis expertise of professional scientists by promoting research collaboration among citizen scientists, universities, government agencies, conservation organizations, schools, and businesses. The Partnership also fosters long-term conservation values and appreciation of science by engaging the public with hands-on research experiences.

Recent Results:

American Kestrel population declines
Data from the US Geological Survey’s Breeding Bird Survey, National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, various nest-box monitoring programs, and migration corridors, collectively indicate declines for numerous regional populations of American Kestrels in North America.  The rate of decline varies geographically, but most are long-term (1966-2009) and persistent within the last decade.  The causes are largely unknown and limited to speculation, primarily because of insufficient data but also insufficient use of existing data.  Population declines and associated information gaps therefore highlight the need for generating spatially extensive data, models, and conservation strategies.

Research networking website
The Partnership’s primary means for promoting networking, data sharing, collaborative research, and distribution of research and education resources, is an interactive website modeled after social networking, such that partners have individualized and customizable profiles for corresponding, sharing experiences and media, and managing nest-box monitoring schedules and data.  The Partnership’s website also provides engaging activities, such as identifying prey items from streaming nest-box video; participating in discussion forums; recruiting, assisting, and collaborating with new partners; and competing in photo, art, and data competitions.  The Partnership encourages open access to data from nest-box monitoring programs, but with professional scientists in mind, will integrate nest-box monitoring data with the Avian Knowledge Network (www.avianknowledge.net), enabling partners to make their data available only upon direct request.  The Peregrine Fund will launch the Partnership’s website in late 2011 or early 2012.  Until then, introductory information can be accessed at: www.peregrinefund.org/american-kestrel.

Education and outreach
The Partnership is promoting public participation in science by building a community of citizen and professional scientists focused on advancing kestrel research and conservation.  Public participation in the Partnership fosters positive attitudes towards science and conservation by providing hands-on research experiences and feedback illustrating the impact of individual and collective contributions.

The Partnership is developing education and outreach material, including youth-oriented curricula adhering to national educational standards for use in the field or classroom. Education resources are freely available on the Partnership’s website or by mail.

Getting involved
The Partnership includes a diverse array of partners, from individual enthusiasts to large organizations.  The primary means of contributing as a partner is by generating data from existing nest-box monitoring programs and/or establishing new nest-box monitoring programs.  The Partnership is also seeking professional scientist partners to 1) generate data and models for fledgling and adult demographic and toxicological parameters, and 2) use existing and future nest-box monitoring data to model and understand the relationships between environmental factors and nesting parameters.  We encourage education professionals to enlist as partners and contribute to the design, implementation, and sharing of education materials based on nest-box monitoring and kestrel conservation.

Nest-box monitoring: what is it?
Nest-box monitoring programs are pretty straight forward and low maintenance once established.  The first step is to build your nest boxes; or recruit local scouts, shop classes, or home-improvement centers to build your nest boxes; or buy pre-constructed nest boxes.  The Partnership is developing and will administrate an online grant program to compensate the costs of nest-box materials or purchases.  A high-quality nest box made of cedar and stainless steel fasters can be built for about $50.  Nest boxes can be installed across a wide variety of habitats, including backyards, farms, ranches, school yards, golf courses, city parks, and elsewhere.  Partners should obtain permission from local authorities and utilities before installing nest boxes on public property, utility poles, or the backs of road signs.  Kestrels will typically begin nesting in boxes the first or second spring following installation, after which monitoring only requires 2 to 4 visits per month by partners for approximately 6 to 8 weeks sometime during the nesting period of April through July, depending on one’s latitude.  Partners have the option of recording data (e.g., number of eggs or nestlings, and age of nestlings) manually on paper while checking boxes, for later data entry and transmission with the Partnership’s website, or by downloading and using our software application for smartphones, which supports “on-the-fly” data entry and transmission while visiting nest boxes.

The Peregrine Fund: conserving birds of prey since 1970
The Peregrine Fund was founded in 1970 to restore populations of the Peregrine Falcon, which was removed from the U.S. Endangered Species Act list in 1999.  This success encouraged the organization to expand its focus and apply its experience in raptor conservation on behalf of 102 species in 65 countries worldwide, including the California Condor, Aplomado Falcon, and now the American Kestrel, in the United States. The organization is non-political, solution-oriented, and hands-on, with a mission to:

• Restore rare species through captive breeding and release
• Improve local capacity for conservation
• Conduct scientific research and environmental education
• Conserve habitat

The Peregrine Fund is currently recruiting partners for the 2012 launch of the American Kestrel Partnership.  For more information, please contact the Partnership’s coordinators:

Citizen science partners and sponsors:
Allyson Woodard
Partnership Programs Coordinator
awoodard@peregrinefund.org
208-362-8266

Professional science partners:
Matt Giovanni, Ph.D.
Research Biologist
mgiovanni@peregrinefund.org
208-362-8279

Project Links:

(no history)	(no field notes)
Publications and Data	(no misc. information)
(no photos or video)
Kestrel nest box data sheet	Time Requirement Table for Nest box Monitoring
Nest Box Reimbursement Application	Kestrel Nest Box Instructions
American Kestrel Partnership introduction

Location Note:

North America

Species involved

• American Kestrel  — Falco sparverius
  •  Learn the basics  |  Detailed information

People involved in this project:

Combined Federal Campaign # 10639

5668 West Flying Hawk Lane – Boise, Idaho 83709 – United States of America

208-362-3716   —  Fax 208-362-2376  —  tpf@peregrinefund.org

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