The Kestrel Project – “The chicks are in the mailbox”

The Science Center has launched an exciting and innovative project this spring that blends natural science education with hands-on conservation and allows students throughout the state to become citizen scientists. The project – entitled the New Hampshire Kestrel Project involves the installation of specially-designed nesting boxes – made from steel mail boxes -- on school grounds, and the implementation of a student-led nest box monitoring scheme. The students will learn about the ecology of the American Kestrel through programs presented by a staff naturalist which includes a visit with one of our ambassador Kestrels. Once each numbered box is installed, the students will monitor the boxes and report their observations via a web-based reporting form.

The American Kestrel is our smallest North American falcon. Recent studies have shown a dramatic decline in Kestrel numbers in the eastern US. The Kestrel’s decline has been linked to loss of grassland habitat, which affects both nesting territories and migratory stopover sites. Other possible factors include West Nile virus, predation by larger hawks, and competition with other birds for limited nesting sites. 

Kestrels are cavity nesters. Their ideal nesting site is in an old Pileated Woodpecker hole 20 feet up a dead tree in the middle of a large meadow. Like other cavity nesters it is possible to provide them with artificial nest sites in specially-designed nesting boxes. Most boxes are made from 1”x10” pine boards with a three-inch entrance hole, placed on a pole or suitable tree. Wooden boxes have their downside. Without regular maintenance they rot and fall down, and they are easily torn or chewed open by raccoons and squirrels.

A couple years ago, Science Center Director Iain MacLeod experimented with a Kestrel box design made from a standard metal mailbox – purchased at his local hardware store. He liked the design and filed the notion away until the right moment arrived. Now is that time.

The project needed some grant funding. Iain submitted a proposal to the Jane B. Cook Charitable Trust which provided a $10,000 grant for the pilot year. A second grant for $5,000 was recently received from an anonymous foundation.

Now Iain needed a source of boxes. He contacted the largest manufacturer of mailboxes in the country – The Solar Group (part of Gibraltar Industries) in Jacksonville, Mississippi. The project struck a chord with Cari Millington a Solar Customer Service Representative in Illinois and Iain’s request for a donation of 100 mailboxes was quickly approved. Iain asked for their basic model, but they sent their deluxe heavy duty steel model, which retails for more than $70 – nothing but the best for our Kestrels. The generosity of Gibraltar Industries has been wonderful.

Jeremy Phillips, our Seasonal Naturalist was appointed as Project Coordinator and started contacting schools throughout New Hampshire offering them the opportunity to sign up. The response has been great. Jeremy is traveling all over the state -- from Londonderry to Lancaster, Stewartstown to Dover -- installing boxes and presenting programs.

With luck we will have a few “chicks in the mailbox” by the summer.
To see photographs of Kestrels and the project, you can view the Photo Journal section.
For more information about the Kestrel Project contact Jeremy Phillips at jeremy.phillips@nhnature.org.