A bird's eye view: American Kestrel nest streaming online
Jordan Gill | CBC News | Posted: May 8, 2017 8:00 PM | Last Updated: May 8, 2017
This will be the second year Philip Pineau has kept an eye on the American Kestrels on his property
A GoPro in a box is giving Islanders a literal bird's eye view of a couple feathered parents to be.
Philip Pineau, vice president of the Hunter-Clyde Watershed Group, installed a box for the American Kestrel, the Island's smallest falcon, to nest on his property. The inside of the box is also being streamed online.
Pineau got the idea after seeing other kestrel nesting boxes in the area and decided to integrate the technology.
"We knew we could put one up that was close enough to the house that we might be able to monitor it, or have a camera in it and we just thought it was a good opportunity," said Pineau.
How do you attract an American Kestrel. According to Pineau you really don't have to. He's noticed they come with the bugs in April and if there's a place they like, they will stay.
"They just start looking for nesting sites and if you have a nice box that's of the kind that they like [they nest,]" said Pineau.
The routine
American Kestrel mate for life, although they don't always return to the same nest. Pineau described what happens when the birds first find a nesting site they like.
"They seem to scout out the box. Then … the female often disappears for a little while and the male is the one who sticks around and sort of guards the house from the other birds who are interested in a new home," said Pineau.
When the female lays her eggs, she doesn't really move until they hatch. The male will bring her food. That changes when the eggs hatch though.
"He seems to disappear…. He doesn't seem to be around nearly as much when the kids come along," said Pineau.
This is the second year that Pineau has welcomed the birds to his backyard. In the first year the female laid five eggs.
"[All] five of them actually hatched and all five of them made it to maturity," said Pineau, adding that is an anomaly.
'Battle of the birds'
It's not just as easy as finding a place to nest for the American Kestrel, they have to deal with the pestering of other birds. In the case of the kestrels on Pineau's property, starlings.
Pineau said the starlings have tried to steal the nest, took out the kestrels nesting materials and even added their own. Pineau is ready to declare a winner to the fight though.
"It's a battle of the birds," said Pineau.
"The kestrels have definitely won at this point."
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