Press Release

NESTING KESTRELS CAUGHT ON WEBCAM

10 May 2006

• Please note that the webcam is no longer available for 2006.

Since 1991 The Crown Estate, in association with The Wildlife and Conservation Partnership, has been responsible for a conservation project in Norfolk providing nesting sites for birds of prey. In an exciting new development this year a discreet webcam has been installed in a nesting box occupied by a pair of kestrels, who are taking it in turns to incubate their clutch of eggs.

Life inside the kestrels’ nesting box can now be viewed on both The Crown Estate and Carter Jonas websites.

Originally designed to attract barn owls into an area with a rich food supply but containing very few natural nesting sites, the boxes also appeal to kestrels. This species is one of the UK’s most popular birds of prey, and is on the Birds of Conservation Concern list. Located on Crown Estate farmland in Norfolk, the nesting boxes have proved successful breeding sites, producing about 140 barn owls and 60 kestrels over the last 15 years.

Alan Laidlaw, Head of Customer Management for The Crown Estate’s rural estate, noted that the nesting boxes were introduced to help sustain and enhance this important habitat for birds of prey. He said: “This is a project we wholeheartedly support. The webcam offers a genuine ‘birds eye’ view of this critical but often secretive stage in the lifecycle of the kestrel and will provide a record of the process.

“As a small example, it demonstrates The Crown Estate’s strong commitment to the conservation and stewardship of our natural environment.”

The project has been managed on The Wash by The Crown Estate’s agents Carter Jonas. Tim Jones, Head of the Rural Department with Carter Jonas added: “This is a very exciting project for anyone who is interested in birds of prey, particularly as little is known about how kestrel pairs incubate their eggs and share parental responsibilities.

“Ornithologists are concerned about the numbers of barn owls and kestrels nationally, and this project is providing a wealth of information and helping to increase the numbers of these important and beautiful birds of prey.”

Kestrels are known to be good parents with each sharing the duties of incubating the eggs and rearing the young.

Please follow the link for more information about rural stewardship programmes.