The American Kestrel Partnership, part of the Peregrine Fund, is a nation-wide conservation program to support kestrels. This Instructable will hopefully help you construct your own safe and secure nest box that will also be easy to clean and maintain. American kestrels also commonly utilize nesting boxes. 0000100171 00000 n What seems like a logical and efficient workflow to me might not suit you well, and there are many ways to end up with a functioning nest box. SO I did. on Introduction. The idea is to create exit holes for the shavings and sawdust made by the hole saw to escape into. Since you'll be switching between drilling pilot holes to driving screws, you will find a quick-change bit quite useful. 0000011423 00000 n Also, get the cordless drill set up with a fairly large (1/4") drill bit. 0000002595 00000 n 0000008961 00000 n PILOT HOLES ARE KEY TO PREVENT SPLITTING DURING CONSTRUCTION! Kestrels prefer nest sites that are open or that have a commanding view of the area around the box. I was initially wondering if the size wasn't fairly big but then I realized what a 'Kestrel' was in my langiage ;-)I gotto make one like this, 11 years ago Find the perfect kestrel nest box stock photo. 0000011693 00000 n Drill pilot holes through the back into the side, then add screws. You will have to check the box attachment annually and possibly reset it in order to accommodate tree growth. Since these are fairly small pieces, I used this special tool to push the work along rather than risk my fingers. Line the box with wood chips or shredded bark to cushion the eggs, but avoid sawdust or soil that may clog the drainage holes. The drill press will let you know if you're trying to force it too quickly, probably by blowing a circuit if you push it too hard. The American Kestrel is the smallest and most numerous of all North American falcons. You might be tempted to save a few cents on screws, but it's more important to end up with a solidly constructed box. And that's it! Pull the hole saw back out, turn off the drill press, and using the mark made by the saw as a guide, drill a few 1/4" or similar sized holes along the inside of that circle. The breeding season is from April onwards and once a box is claimed as a nest site kestrels will be regularly seen sat on the ledge/perch and in the near area around the box. If using nails, put only one above the box and one below - if you use pairs, tree growth could easily split the box. %PDF-1.4 %���� • The floor size for this nest box design provides almost 93 square inches, which is close to 50% larger than the 8”x 8” floors recommended in the majority of American Kestrel nest box designs available in the lit-erature or online. 252 0 obj <>stream 0000008484 00000 n 0000002107 00000 n Three to seven eggs (typically four or five) are laid approximately 24–72 hours apart. Photo Courtesy of Megan Hines Your efforts to place nest boxes … I placed the pieces 0.3" apart so a 1/4 inch bit can be used. Do the same with the sill. The American Kestrel is North America's smallest falcon, and unlike its larger cousins, this beautiful little bird chooses to nest in cavities (i.e., holes in trees or other objects, such as utility poles and buildings). 0000008511 00000 n I was lucky enough to be able to use facilities at the University of Florida in Gainesville. All bird boxes are delivered ready assembled direct to your door. Left unpainted and untreated, both kinds of wood will weather to a silvery-gray and last for several seasons. Thank you for your interest in Maine's American Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring Program. Depending on how many boxes you plan to build at one time, you might want to divide the construction process into stages. Move to the drill press, and set the hole saw up. 0000006667 00000 n Although if you're lucky enough to have a willing accomplice, the job will probably go more quickly with an extra set of hands. For screech owls, try putting the box up wherever you might see or hear them - they don't mind going into thicker cover than a kestrel would stand, so a box put into a stand of trees might well be used. Set the top piece in place, drill pilot holes through the top into the side and front, and attach. Nest site is in cavity, usually in dead tree or snag, sometimes in dirt bank or cliff, or in old magpie nest. 0000088255 00000 n 0000100252 00000 n All our bird boxes are available with free shipping to mainland UK. Flip the box onto its front, and drill another pilot hole opposite the first. xref 0000168536 00000 n Drill four to five pilot holes in the front piece through to the side piece; in my case, the 1/8" drill bit was an appropriate size. guess I'll have to wait for an instructable about building an Australian kestrel birdhouse. Site at least 5m high, ideally facing south east and with a clear flight path in. In southwest, often in holes in giant cactus. This will reduce the friction involved in cutting, thus lowering temperatures and making the process go more smoothly. Altair - a Tripod Mounted Refracting Telescope. I may make one for screech owls, there are a fair number in my area. In fact, led by Dr. Julie Heath of Boise State University, the Treasure Valley hosts the one of the longest running American Kestrel nest box programs in western North America. Put pilot holes through the back into the bottom piece and sill, and switch to screws. Kestrels like to have an open approach vector to reach their boxes, as well as space to maneuver to prevent being captured by opportunistic bird hawks. To start, it would be best to have access to a facility with a variety of wood-working tools, like serious saws, a drill press, and plenty of workspace. When finished, the trail will stretch from Estes Park, Colorado to the Wyoming border. <<5D97EA0C21D1B840852E1D5873BFC554>]/Prev 357661/XRefStm 1781>>