American Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring Project

American kestrels, while still abundant, are declining throughout their range. In Spokane county population trends are uncertain. But populations surrounding Spokane county are known to be decreasing. While the exact cause is unknown, factors including climate change, insect decline (a kestrel food source), predation, nest box competition with starlings, and habitat loss are thought to be contributing to their loss.

Spokane Audubon Society is addressing the factor of habitat loss and nest box competition by constructing, placing, and monitoring wooden nest boxes in order to provide more nesting locations. Kestrels that nest in well-sited nest boxes have been shown to have a high rate of success producing offspring with local population declines slowing or even reversing following the installation of nest boxes. For more information, check out this article from Audubon, Spring 2023.

Our goal is to work with community volunteers, private landholders, and the public to support local kestrel populations with nest boxes. Starting in April 2024 we installed the first nine boxes. In spring of 2025 we added ten more. Volunteers monitoring boxes monthly throughout the breeding season and removed any non native species such as starlings. At the conclusion of the 2025 breeding season we learned that 14 eggs were laid in the boxes and 10 birds fledged! Using a grant from the National Audubon Society, we have been able to construct ten additional boxes that will be placed near Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in spring of 2026.

This project is dependent on volunteers to build, install, and monitor the nest boxes!

If you have previous woodworking experience or would like to participate in monitoring and data collection please contact us! Volunteer time commitment is flexible and ranges from a couple of hours one time or several hours over the course of a season.