Friends of ours in West Virginia have successfully enticed a pair of American kestrels to nest on their farm; their latest report is that the young are close to fledging. This success resulted from the construction of a nest box and their commitment to fostering a natural and untainted environment for these falcons.
The news from West Virginia is especially welcome since the population of American kestrels has steadily declined over the past half century. The reasons, though uncertain, likely include a loss of grassland habitat, competition for insect prey and nest cavities (especially from starlings), the widespread use of insecticides and, perhaps, predation by Cooper's hawks.
Effective conservation need not involve a great deal of effort. In fact, human neglect of open space is the primary means, allowing nature to "manage" the territory; of course, ensuring that the habitat is pollution free is also essential. Most importantly, we can all take this approach, no matter how small our plot of land.
