Wildlife

Kestrel Rodenticide Poisoning and Decline

Kestrels are declining in the UK partly due to rodenticide poisoning affecting their prey base and contaminating their food chain.

Key Facts

UK kestrel numbers declined by over 30% between 1995 and 2020
Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides accumulate in small mammals that kestrels hunt
Post-mortem studies find rodenticide residues in over 50% of kestrels tested in some regions
Loss of rough grassland has also reduced the vole populations that kestrels depend on
The UK Rodenticide Stewardship scheme aims to restrict professional rodenticide use to reduce wildlife exposure

Welfare Considerations

Rodenticide poisoning causes slow, painful internal haemorrhage in kestrels. At sublethal doses it may impair flight, immune function and reproductive success without causing immediate death. The combination of rodenticide exposure and prey base loss creates compounding welfare pressures on already declining populations.

What You Can Do

Avoid using second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides and choose alternatives
Support the RSPB's campaign for stronger rodenticide stewardship regulations
Maintain or create rough grassland habitat for vole prey populations
Report suspected poisoned birds to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme