News from the nesting box: The kestrels are breeding

Following the disappearance of the breeding tawny owl three weeks ago, a kestrel has now taken up residence in the nest and is currently incubating six eggs there!

The fact that a kestrel has now moved in shows just how valuable even small measures can be for biodiversity. Although kestrels are widespread in Central Europe, they are finding fewer and fewer suitable nesting sites. It’s all the more wonderful, then, that our campus appears to be a safe place for them to breed. Here are a few facts about the kestrel’s breeding season:

Breeding season 

• Start: usually from late April to June
• One brood per year is typical (in rare cases, a second)

Egg-laying

• A clutch usually consists of 4–6 eggs
• The eggs are laid at intervals of about 2 days
• The actual brooding phase begins only after the last egg has been laid

Incubation period

• 17 to 30 days (in our case, until around mid-June)
• Usually the female incubates the eggs whilst the male brings food; in some cases, the parents take turns between incubating and hunting

Hatching & rearing

• The chicks hatch asynchronously (not all on the same day)
• unlike other bird chicks, they already have a ‘down coat’ (fluff), but are still ‘brooded’ (kept warm) at first
• After about 4 weeks, the young birds are fully feathered
• After 30–35 days, they fledge but remain in the vicinity for some time

Food during the breeding season

• Mainly small mammals (especially mice)
• Occasionally also small birds and large insects

You can watch the live stream from the nest box here – so everyone can follow the action from a safe distance. We’ll keep you updated – and we’re delighted to have this new feathered guest right in the middle of our university life!