Established in 1954, the nest box network at Hawk Mountain includes more than 125 kestrel nest boxes that are monitored each year (photo by Paul Konrad).

Next Wednesday, May 21st, the Hawk Migration Association will host a free live presentation entitled Monitoring American Kestrel Populations at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is well-known for its long-term monitoring of North American raptor migration, but fewer people know that in 1954 staff at Hawk Mountain launched the first American Kestrel nest box program. Over the years, the project grew and was replicated across the Americas by dedicated people who developed and maintained scores of nest box trails.

The nest box network at Hawk Mountain includes more than 125 kestrel nest boxes that are monitored each year, some of which are still being used at the same location where they were installed 60-plus years ago. Combined with other methods, the kestrel nest box program allows a “peak under the hood” during the nesting season, which is a critical life history stage for the small colorful mini-falcons.

The presentation will be delivered by J.F. Therrien, Senior Scientist at Hawk Mountain, who will speak about the long-term study of American Kestrels at Hawk Mountain and how it has created a broad spectrum of discoveries from basic descriptions of diet, nest box occupancy rates, site fidelity, clutch size and hatch rates, to advanced analyses of reproduction, growth and survival rates of nestlings, genetic structure assessment, and population dynamics. Overall, this unique and invaluable long-term monitoring program assists in identifying conservation needs, and acts as a model for the conservation of cavity nesting birds worldwide.

This program is Free via Zoom; simply register ahead of time at Meeting Registration - Zoom If you are unable to join the live presentation on Zoom, the Hawk Migration Association will live-stream the program on their Facebook page. Following the event, a recording of this program will be available on the HMA website at Hawk Migration Association. For more information, you can also refer to Monitoring American Kestrel populations at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, PA – Hawk Migration Association.