FALCO Project: Citizen @s for the conservation of the Primilla Kestrel

The conservation of the Primilla Kestrel has been, for more than 15 years, the main objective of the FALCO Project, which consists of an environmental volunteer program funded by the Department of Sustainable Development of the Junta de Andalucía and the Environment Area of the Huelva Provincial Council, based on citizen participation for the conservation of local fauna.

Primilla Kestrel

Nature lovers have always been powerfully struck by how great eagles nest in the cuts, how the great owl incubates its eggs on the edge of the cliffs, how black vultures nest in the tallest tops of oak trees or the mousetraps choose the impossible branches of eucalyptus trees. All of them are raptors that behave wildly and wildly, far from human settlements.

On the contrary, the Kestrel Kestrel (Falco Naumanni), who has little fear of human beings, lives like another neighbor from the Maghreb to China. It is a falconcillo (the smallest of our fauna) that has pushed its inclination for human constructions to the limit, turning into its preferred habitat towers and bell towers, the canvases of medieval walls or fortresses, the abandoned or demolished farmhouses that, in their hollows, mechinales and well-guarded cavities, welcome this special character.

Like the vast majority of birds of prey, the primilla kestrel has been no stranger to the profound alterations that humans inflict on nature.

Main threat

The main threat to the species lies in the loss of its feeding habitat, both in the immediate vicinity of breeding areas and in dispersion areas. Factors such as the intensification of agricultural farms, changes in cultivation, the abandonment of land or the urbanization of periurban areas are very negative for this insectivorous raptor. Added to this is the massive use of chemicals in the field, with the consequent loss of food resources and the possible poisoning of birds. On the other hand, their tendency to nest in old buildings — exposed to restoration, demolition or ruin — can cause them disturbances during the breeding season or even the loss of their nesting habitat.

Phases of action

• Initially, volunteers explore potential or susceptible habitats for breeding colonies: church towers and bell towers, walls of historic buildings or abandoned mansions located in remote places.
• Once the breeding centers are located, an adult census is carried out and the chickens are ringed to keep track over time and determine the population trends of the colony.
• The third action takes place during the dispersion phase of flying chickens, at which time many of them, even without expertise, fall from their nests to the ground, and may be victims of outrages, prey on cats or dogs or suffer the plunder of travelers who, unapprehensively, cannot resist raising this beautiful steppe raptor in captivity.

• Finally, to reinforce reproductive cells and ensure optimal habitats for reproduction and breeding, volunteers install nesting boxes in old farmhouses, abandoned warehouses or barns in farmhouses and estates.

All this with the sole intention that, every dawn, from their privileged watchtowers, the Kestrels continue to welcome the sun with their winks, summoning all living beings to the adventure of a new day, an exceptional case in which environmental, historical and cultural heritage merge to offer nature lovers an incalculable treasure.