WEST BEND, Wis. — Lac Lawrann Conservancy (LLC) is installing an American kestrel nesting box this September as part of the City of West Bend's Bird City initiative.

The nesting box will be installed with the help of Danny Erickson who is the Bird Banding Director at Cedar Grove Ornithological Research Station (CGORS).

According to the City of West Bend, the project is part of a study that explores Kestrel population trends in eastern Wisconsin. It will be done through banding and nest box surveys.

Researchers and LLC staff will study next box occupancy, productivity, juvenile dispersal, and wintering habitat use, the City of West Bend said.

The American kestrel sparrow hawk is the smallest and most common falcon in North America, officials say.

“Recent trends show a population decline of American Kestrels, prompting many studies on this decline,” said LLC Conservation Supervisor Courtney Cox-Poulsen. “Kestrels use natural cavities in trees in open areas for nesting, but a shortage of suitable nesting habitat may be a contributing factor to declines of this species. LLC is excited to be a part of this research, and plan to educate the community about this important raptor species and how to support them.”

West Bend has been part of Bird City Wisconsin since 2015. For more information on the city's bird-friendly initiatives, click here.

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