Common Kestrel: Nest & eggs

The Common Kestrel builds no nest of its own but takes over ready-made nest sites and cavities.

• Nest site: it readily nests in an old crow nest, on a rock ledge, in a cavity in a building or in a church tower.
• Nest box: a kestrel nest box with a half-open front mounted on a gable end or barn works very well.
• Brood size: the female normally lays 4–6 eggs, and both the number of eggs and the brood are adjusted according to the abundance of voles.

That the species uses both natural and artificial sites makes it easy to encourage in the farmed landscape.

More about the Common Kestrel

• Song & calls
• Breeding
• Diet
• In winter