Animal Welfare Hub

Evidence-based resources for animal welfare

wildlife

Kestrel: Hovering Hunter Under Pressure

An in-depth guide to kestrel welfare, their decline in UK farmland, and conservation actions needed to support this iconic bird.

Key Facts

Kestrels are the only UK bird that can hover in still air using visual UV cues
They detect vole runways using ultraviolet reflection invisible to human eyes
UK kestrel populations have declined by 46% since the 1970s
Agricultural intensification has reduced small mammal prey and hunting habitat
Kestrels nest in old crow nests, buildings, cliff ledges, and nest boxes
Secondary poisoning from rodenticides entering the food chain affects welfare

Welfare Considerations and Management

Kestrel welfare threats include prey decline from agricultural intensification (reduced rough grassland and field margins), rodenticide secondary poisoning from eating poisoned prey, nest site loss, and road traffic mortality. Conservation interventions include promoting rough grassland in field margins and motorway verges (an important kestrel foraging habitat), providing nest boxes, and reducing rodenticide use in agricultural landscapes.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes creating rough grassland and field margins
Install kestrel nest boxes in appropriate rural locations
Advocate for reduced second-generation rodenticide use in agriculture
Drive carefully in rural areas during winter when kestrels hunt road verges