Movie | Kestrels vs Gray Squirrels

When squirrels take over kestrels Athena & Apollo’s nest website, there appears little hope of evicting them. Watch the wrestle as this pair attempt to hold on to their nest website for the approaching season.

When squirrels take over kestrels Athena & Apollo’s nest website, there appears little hope of evicting them. Watch the wrestle as this pair attempt to hold on to their nest website for the approaching season. 

 Kestrel nest

Athena & Apollo have nested on this kestrel field for the previous three years, however after their chicks fledged final summer time, a gray squirrel moved in. The commonest sort of squirrel nest is a drey, constructed between the branches of a tree, however when squirre

Tawny owls

A pair of tawny owls dwelling close by, named Bonnie & Ozzy, have already misplaced their favorite nest to a gray squirrel household this winter and have needed to roost elsewhere while this gray squirrel household develop. Apollo & Athena’s nest is customized constructed for kestrels, however appears common with all of the native wildlife. Athena, who continues to defend it exterior the breeding season, should additionally take care of approaches from tawny owls.

Squirrel takeover

However she’s preventing a dropping battle. As she roosts on the entrance, a squirrel emerges from contained in the nest and pushes her out. Nonetheless, now the squirrels should additionally defend the location, watch them fend off a pair of jackdaws. Gray squirrels have been launched from North America within the nineteenth century and are thought-about invasive as a consequence of their detrimental affect on different wildlife, crops and timber. They’ve had explicit affect Britain’s native crimson squirrels by means of competitors and unfold of illness. So, with the squirrel out of the nest, I make the choice to take away its den.

Squirrels take over

However earlier than lengthy the squirrel returns and wastes no time beginning to construct a nest yet again. The squirrel is joined by one other and the 2 start to tussle. This behaviour may be seen in courting pairs, however in October, it’s extra doubtless that these two are scrapping for dominance. No matter their relation, they get to work, constructing a brand new den in simply over an hour! Once more the kestrels are gradual to grasp the occupation. That evening, Athena will get a shock as a squirrel sneaks up behind her. Eviction x2 I anticipate a possibility to oust the squirrels once more and after they depart the den I clear it of their nesting materials as soon as extra. Whereas kestrels aren’t thought-about endangered within the UK, their populations have declined to round 30,000 breeding pairs, in order that they want all the assistance they’ll get. 

Kestrels return

Only some days later, Athena is again to stake her declare. It’s December now, only some months earlier than the breeding season begins and it appears the kestrels are going to have their work reduce out to carry onto this nest this yr!