Once again, kestrels have returned to nest on the roof of the Vienna International Centre, highlighting how urban wildlife, biodiversity and research can intersect.
Thanks to our 24/7 live cam installed in one of the high-rise homes, nature lovers could watch the mother kestrel raise her chick without disturbing the birds.
Since 2018, kestrels have consistently chosen to nest in one of UN Vienna's boxes, which were installed with the help and expertise of the City of Vienna's nature conservation department. The birds are also part of a research project led by Austrian researcher Petra Sumasgutner, who studies their migratory behaviour. Last year, the birds were outfitted with GPS trackers revealing a flight pattern across the Alpine arc all the way to the Mediterranean region.
Kestrels typically stay loyal to their breeding sites, so it is very likely that the same bird or one of its offspring will be breeding at the VIC again next year.
Despite being protected by the law, illegal hunting, lead-based ammunition and deliberate poisoning still threaten birds of prey in Austria. Luckily, kestrels are not primarily affected, as they mainly feed on mice and are not seen as competition by hunters.
The VIC nesting boxes are more than just bird houses – they are part UN Vienna's commitment to nature conservation and biodiversity preservation. They offer birds a protected home in an urban area next to the safe hunting grounds of the Danube Park and Danube Island.
Watch the moment the kestrel chick flies the nest in the video recorded by our Facility Management Services Division (BMS) at the Vienna Internation Centre.
The chick has been fitted with a lightweight, backpack-style tracker which will enable the researchers to know where it goes and how it fares. For the winter it will probably head south, maybe to Croatia, Italy or even northern Africa.
Kestrel numbers across Europe are declining and by tracking their movements, the researchers hope to find out more about what happens to them to help protect them.
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