Nesting Box Designed For American Kestrels

Nesting Box Designed For American Kestrels MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Pest Animals 31-2-16 Frustrated with the damage birds were causing to his cherry orchard, Ben Dover of Yakima, Wash., decided to build a nesting box to attract American Kestrels. It worked so well he now builds the nesting boxes for sale. "It really makes a difference in keeping away starlings, robins, and any other birds that damage fruit in orchards or make a mess around buildings and feedlots. American Kestrels nest in tree cavities and old woodpecker holes, but they will readily use nest boxes like the ones I provide," says Dover. The "Orchard Guard" nesting box is made from wood and is designed to mount on a pole or tree 10 to 30 ft. above the ground, facing southeast in the center of an orchard. They measure 2 ft. tall by 10 in. wide and deep. Dover recommends placing 2 to 3 in. of wood chips in the bottom of the box for use as nesting material. "Kestrels won't take anything into the nesting box. You have to put it in for them," he says. A small door on one side can be opened to clean out the box once a year. In general, Dover recommends one nesting box for every 5 to 10 acres. The boxes should be checked every week or so to remove starling eggs and nests. "It's a relatively inexpensive way to provide bird control. There's no 100 percent guarantee that kestrels will come, but in three years I've been building them I've had a 60 percent success rate. I got the idea from a retired state fish and wildlife biologist who told me how to build them. I had tried using sprays and bird guns, but nothing worked. It also works great for keeping birds away from feedlots. I've even sold some nesting boxes to motels and rental storage facilities, which use them to keep birds from making messes. "It works best in orchards or vineyards where fruit ripens early, such as cherries, grapes, and blueberries. It's not quite as effective in apple and peach orchards because by the time the apples and peaches start to ripen the hawks have finished raising their young and don't always stay nearby." Sells for $35 plus S&H. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ben Dover, 1714 South 69th Ave., Yakima, Wash. 98908; (ph 509 972-3415 or 509 910-6598; bsdover@msn.com).

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