American kestrel fledglings have high survival rate

Despite the decline of American kestrels since the 1970s, fledglings have a relatively high survival rate. This information can add to researchers’ knowledge about the species, which can inform conservation measures. American kestrels (Falco sparverius), the smallest falcon in North America, range from southeast Alaska to Argentina. In the past, researchers have studied the birds’ nesting season but haven’t focused on the birds’ survival after their departure. In a study published in the Journal of Raptor Research, scientists fitted 202 kestrels with radio transmitter backpacks that collected data on their locations for six months. They also tagged 146 fledglings all across the northeast U.S. and a total of 56 adults from Pennsylvania and Florida between 2021 and 2023. The team was surprised to find a high rate of survival during the birds’ first weeks outside of the nest. “Our study documented very high survival rates for juveniles across the eastern states, with some sites even boasting 100% survival,” said Mercy Melo, the lead author of the study. However, the researchers don’t know how the birds did during migration and overwintering.

Read the study in the Journal of Raptor Research.