*Supporting Breeding American Kestrels in Virginia*
*NESTING BOX ADOPTION PROGRAM*
* Highland County, Virginia*
Breeding Bird Survey data indicate that the number of breeding
American Kestrels has been steadily declining since at least the 1960's
across North America, including Virginia. Scientists studying kestrels do
not have sufficient data to understand what is causing these declines.
Scientists and citizen scientists joined together as the American Kestrel
Partnership to research this decline. One of their projects is to install
and monitor kestrel nest boxes and contribute their findings to their
centralized database as they work to understand why kestrels are declining.
The Kestrel Strike force of the VSO Conservation Committee has been
actively building, installing and monitoring nesting success and survival
at these kestrel boxes for the past three years. They have installed over
300 nest boxes in appropriate breeding habitat throughout Virginia.
The information collected from these nest boxes is providing insight into
the ecology of kestrels in Virginia and population declines across Virginia
and North America.
*You can help this effort by making an annual donation to adopt a nest box
in Highland County, Virginia at one of the following levels (Your donation
is tax deductible.): *
· *Level I:* $ 50.00 provides for the installation and monitoring of
an American Kestrel nest box in Highland County, VA. You will receive an
official adoption certificate.
· *Level II:* $100.00 provides for the installation and monitoring of
an American Kestrel nest box in Highland County where there is a
concentration of breeding kestrels. You will receive an official adoption
certificate. After the nest box has been placed, a digital photo of the
mounted nest box and approximate location will be emailed to you. After the
breeding season, the box will be regularly monitored and you will also
receive a report of any birds nesting in your box.
Please complete and include this form with your adoption donation.
[image: Text Box: Virginia Society of Ornithology American Kestrel Nest Box
Project Please print the following information: Recipient’s Name (if a
gift) _______________________________________________ Donor’s Name (if
different) _______________________________________________ Recipient’s
Address _______________________________________________ Recipient’s City,
State, Zip _______________________________________________ Recipient’s
Email _______________________________________________ Donation (circle
desired level) Level I $ 50 Level II $ 100 Total donation ____ Make check
out to and mail it to the VSO (Virginia Society of Ornithology PO Box 5994,
Williamsburg, VA 23188) and include this form. Note that your donation will
go to the Kestrel Monitoring Program or other kestrel related conservation
projects.]
