Kestrel mapping project
2006-09-07
LOCAL birders - especially those with an interest in birds of prey - are invited to join a new initiative to help map sightings of the Lesser Kestrel, Amur Falcon and Redfooted Falcon in Southern Africa.
The mapping project was recently initiated by the Migrating Kestrel Project (MKP) of the Birds of Prey Working Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, in partnership with NaturalWorld (www.natworld.org).
Wellington is one of the prime roosting places for the Lesser Kestrel.
They are known to roost together at the local site at night in their hundreds, after congregation on the electric pylons near the Wellington golf course.
These Palearctics migrate during our spring and summer months to Southern Africa, and depart again by March.
Lesser Kestrels tend to use traditional roost sites year after year.
They are gregarious birds that hunt in small groups to large flocks.
These opportunistic feeders are about 30cm high.
According to project co-ordinator Anthony van Zyl, the Lesser Kestrel is listed in the Red Data book and recent information also shows that Amur and Redfooted Falcon populations are not as large as previously thought.
The MKP collects information on these species in their wintering grounds to assess and address conservation issues. You can read more about the Migrating Kestrel Project on the www.kestreling.com web site.
Sightings can be entered on the website www.natworld.org.
For more information, contact Van Zyl at anthony@kestreling.com.
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