Sammy's Natural World: March 2016

A kestrel at the Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre (August 2015)

Feathery Friends...

I can remember having been fascinated by birds of prey, or raptors, since I was a young girl.

A peregrine falcon in York (I was handling this one
but spared you looking at my face!) April 2015

When I was eight years old, I had a wool coat with owls on it (I wouldn't wear it now, but at the time I basically lived in the bloody thing!). I collected those RSPB bird toys which made noises when you squeezed them, and the majority of mine were owls, falcons and eagles. I loved visiting birds of prey centres, and there's several pictures of me throughout the years holding an owl or a falcon of some sort. I was obsessed! My favourite was the mighty peregrine falcon, the fastest flying bird in the world. In fact, they still have a very strong place in my heart now, and they still bring a big smile to my face. My dissertation proposals are in; if it all goes well, I'm hoping to study birds of prey and the enormous conservation crises they are facing in the United Kingdom. While birds of prey are still on my mind, I have decided to introduce you to these wonderful creatures (and I'm sorry for disappearing from this blog for a while- life has been busy these last few months!).

A buzzard in Ringmore (August 2015)

This weekend just gone, my parents and brother came down to Devon to visit. Ringmore, a little rural village which we have been visiting for over 15 years, is about 20 miles from Plymouth (where I currently study and live) and 10 miles from the ancient market town of Kingsbridge. It's a lovely, tranquil place, with an ancient pub (the Journey's End), and vast, rolling hills. It's also great for birds of prey. You would be very, very unlucky to not see the buzzards as they glide around or perch on the wires. You'd be unlucky to not hear the beautiful vocalisations of the barn and tawny owls in the quiet of the night, and there's a very real chance of spotting a kestrel hovering over its prey as you walk towards Ayrmer Cove. Although I didn't venture down to the cove this weekend, the evening was spent watching the buzzards soaring against the sunset, and listening to the owls walking between the B&B and the pub. It was lovely.

I have been fortunate to see other birds of prey around the country, including little owls, sparrowhawks, peregrines and even the elusive red kite. I remember being that eight year old and being so excited seeing a red kite in the wild for the first time. I was somewhere in North Devon, and red kites were not exactly common at the time. They were just beginning to make a comeback. Now, while I don't see them as frequently as I would like (maybe three a year?), it is still reassuring to see them more often; this is in accordance with their slowly increasing numbers. Similarly, when my parents were kids, peregrine falcons were reduced to shockingly low numbers after being poisoned with DDT and as a result of persecution; now, their numbers are stronger and stabilising. While there have been conservation success stories surrounding birds of prey in the United Kingdom, kestrels are in huge trouble indeed.

Caring for Kestrels

Often seen hovering at the side of the road, kestrels used to be Britain's most numerous bird of prey. In 1998-91, it is thought that around 52000 breeding pairs inhabited the United Kingdom (RSPB, 2011). Like the majority of birds of prey, this species struggled during the Second World War with persecution, and was also poisoned with DDT and agricultural changes. As this species preys on small mammals and birds, changes to farmland and practices makes them particularly vulnerable. As the RSPB pointed out, there has been a decline in kestrel numbers in Scotland for quite some time now. It also appears that, since 2005, numbers in the UK are PLUMMETING. The BTO (2011) states that, between 1995 and 2008, their numbers crashed by 20%, with a further (shocking!) decline of 36% between 2008 and 2009. As a result of their marked decline on these islands, this species is now no longer the most numerous raptor in the country; the buzzard AND the sparrowhawk have both overtaken them! It now has an amber conservation status, and is listed as a conservation concern species in Europe (Hawk Conservancy Trust, 2013).

That kestrel again (August 2015)

The problem is, as apex predators, all birds of prey are extremely fragile and very sensitive to change. If their prey becomes poisoned, it will bio-accumulate and poison them in return. Similarly, if there's any reason as to why their prey declines in numbers, they are also bound to suffer.

Similarly to most birds of prey, kestrels are granted legal protection. For example, it is illegal to kill, injure or capture an individual and to destroy its nest and eggs (RSPB, n.d.). However, it is clear that, if we really want to save this adorable little raptor, more action must be taken. Tighter regulations on land use could be a place to start?