Nestbox characteristics, habitat quality and reproductive success of Eurasian Kestrels

Content Provider	Scilit
Author	Valkama, J. Korpimäki, E.
Copyright Year	1999
Description	We studied nestbox selection, habitat quality and reproductive success of Eurasian Kestrels Falco tinnunculus during 1985–95 in western Finland. Nestboxes were termed small, intermediate or large depending on the basal area, and exposed or sheltered depending on their orientation to prevailing weather conditions. Egg-laying started earlier in the intermediate nestboxes than in small boxes, indicating that intermediate nestboxes were selected first by arriving Kestrels. There were no differences in clutch size or number of fledglings produced with respect to nestbox size or orientation. The occupancy rate did not differ markedly between different-sized nestboxes, but it was lower in exposed nestboxes than in sheltered ones. We found that occupied nestboxes were further from forest edges, roads and inhabited houses, and had more grassy ditches (previously identified as good habitat for Microtus voles, the main prey of Kestrels) in their vicinity than unoccupied boxes. There were no obvious differences in body size and body condition of parent Kestrels with respect to nestbox size and habitat quality. These results suggest that both nestbox size and orientation were important nest-site selection criteria, but breeding success was largely determined by laying date, habitat characteristics around the nest, and cyclic food abundance.
Related Links	https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00063659909461117?needAccess=true
Ending Page	88
Page Count	8
Starting Page	81
ISSN	00063657
e-ISSN	19446705
DOI	10.1080/00063659909461117
Journal	Bird Study
Issue Number	1
Volume Number	46
Language	English
Publisher	Informa UK Limited
Publisher Date	1999-03-29
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Journal: Bird Study Ornithology Falco
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Nature and Landscape Conservation