Kestrel Population Decline and Habitat Support

Kestrels have declined by 47% in Britain since the 1970s due to loss of rough grassland habitat and prey availability, with targeted support showing local recovery.

Key Facts

UK kestrel population declined by 47% between 1976 and 2017
Kestrels rely almost exclusively on voles, shrews and large insects in rough grassland
Loss of field margins and rough grassland has dramatically reduced prey availability
Nest box programmes have allowed population maintenance in areas with few trees or old buildings
Kestrels are the only UK falcon that can hover motionless when hunting

Welfare Considerations

Kestrel welfare is directly linked to prey availability. During vole population troughs in the three-year vole cycle, individual kestrels may starve unless they can access alternative prey. Loss of rough grassland has reduced the buffering capacity of the landscape, meaning vole lows cause greater mortality. Young kestrels in their first winter are most vulnerable. Restoring rough grassland margins, reducing pesticide use and providing nest boxes directly benefits individual kestrels by improving food security and breeding success.

What You Can Do

Create or maintain rough grassland areas in gardens and on farmland to support vole populations
Install kestrel nest boxes on suitable buildings or poles in open country
Advocate for field margin requirements in agri-environment schemes to benefit kestrel habitat
Report kestrel sightings to citizen science platforms to support population trend monitoring