1. Central Wisconsin Kestrel Research Janet Eschenbauch Amber Eschenbauch Eric Anderson-Facilitator

2. Falco sparverius Holds the Latin meaning “falcon of the sparrows” Often called a sparrow hawk

3. Frances Hamerstrom Monitored nestboxes for 30 years with help from gabboons. Started this historic nestbox program in 1968.

4. Buena Vista Grasslands Originally swamp and open marsh, the BVG was ditched and drained for agricultural use Originally swamp and open marsh, the BVG was ditched and drained for agricultural use WDNR manages 12,000 acres for preservation of Greater Prairie Chicken WDNR manages 12,000 acres for preservation of Greater Prairie Chicken

5. Monitoring 14/58 on Trees 26/58 on Electric Poles 18/58 on Free-standing Poles May to August

6. Methods & Improvizations

7. Surprises on the Marsh

8. Clutches Between 3-6 Eggs Between 3-6 Eggs Lays one egg every other day Lays one egg every other day Incubates when second to last is laid Incubates when second to last is laid Incubates for 28-30 days Incubates for 28-30 days

9. Chicks of all Ages

10. Male Female

11. Adult Plumage Female Male

12. Adaptations Eyespots confuse predators Eyespots confuse predators Eurasian Kestrels locate voles by urine trails which reflect ultraviolet light Eurasian Kestrels locate voles by urine trails which reflect ultraviolet light

13. Diet Mice Mice Small birds Small birds Snakes Snakes Grasshoppers Grasshoppers Dragonflies Dragonflies Other insects Other insects

14. Capture Methods Mechanical stuffed owl, Recorded owl call, Dho- gaza Net Mechanical stuffed owl, Recorded owl call, Dho- gaza Net Bal-chatri trap Bal-chatri trap Hand grabbing Hand grabbing

15. Dho-gaza Net Net drops down to cradle kestrel Net drops down to cradle kestrel No birds have been injured No birds have been injured

16. Banding Sizes

17. Processing Chicks

18. Processing Adults

19. Brood Patch Males brood about 30% of the time Males brood about 30% of the time Some develop brood patch Some develop brood patch

20. Education Nest site fidelity Nest site fidelity Natal dispersal Natal dispersal Clutch success rates Clutch success rates Educate public with help from other researchers and volunteers Educate public with help from other researchers and volunteers

21. The Release

22. Percent of boxes occupied by American Kestrels in central Wisconsin from 2002-2008. Our study has not shown a significant drop.

23. Clutch size, number hatched, and number of fledglings from successful AMKE nest boxes in central WI.

24. We would like to thank the WDNR, Greg Dahl, Jim Keir, the Citizen-Based Monitoring Partnership Grant Program, Eric Anderson, Eugene Jacobs, the Aldo Leopold Audubon Society, D. Haessly and all of our volunteers for making this research possible.

25. Number of young American Kestrels produced per nest attempt from central Wisconsin.