The kestrel, once Britain's most familiar raptor, has declined by almost 50% since the 1970s, with agricultural change and prey decline at the root of its welfare challenges.
Kestrel welfare is fundamentally about food availability. A kestrel that cannot find sufficient prey faces a slow decline through progressive weight loss, reduced immunity, and eventually starvation. Agricultural intensification has shrunk the rough grassland and diverse field margin habitats where small mammals thrive. Pesticide use has reduced invertebrate prey for juveniles. Climate variability disrupts vole population cycles that kestrels depend on. Road mortality adds an additional welfare burden to an already struggling population. Conservation measures that restore rough grassland, create wildlife-friendly field margins, and reduce pesticide use address the root causes of kestrel welfare decline. Nest box provision helps where suitable hunting habitat exists but nest sites are limited.