Kestrel Welfare: Farmland Decline and Vole Population Collapse

Kestrels have declined by over 50% in the UK since the 1970s. The collapse of field vole populations through grassland intensification is the primary driver of this decline.

Key Facts

UK kestrel breeding populations have declined by 52% since 1970, qualifying the species as amber-listed
Kestrels are specialist hunters of field voles, which comprise over 70% of their diet in most habitats
Field vole populations fluctuate on 3-4 year cycles and require tussocky grassland to maintain abundance
Agricultural intensification converting permanent grassland to arable has eliminated vole habitat across large areas
Kestrels hunt by hovering in open country and are vulnerable to reduced prey availability in intensified landscapes

Welfare Considerations

Kestrels that cannot find adequate vole populations experience rapid body condition decline as they switch to less profitable prey including beetles and earthworms. Adults that cannot provision chicks adequately lose them to starvation before fledging. The energetic cost of hovering while hunting means that kestrels expend significant reserves in unproductive hunting bouts over prey-poor intensified farmland. Pairs that establish territories in recently intensified areas may invest in nest site preparation and egg laying before discovering that prey availability is insufficient to rear chicks successfully, wasting significant reproductive effort.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes that maintain tussocky grassland strips and field margins
Install kestrel nest boxes on farm buildings, electricity poles and trees in open countryside
Choose food products from farms with bird-friendly agri-environment prescriptions
Report kestrel sightings and breeding to BTO to support population monitoring
Advocate for maintaining tussocky grassland as an eligible agri-environment option in farming support schemes