JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton Raptor Center (TRC) is calling for any information on active Kestrel nests in the Jackson area in order to re-nest five American kestrel nestlings as soon as possible.
According to TRC, nestlings are chicks that are featherless or covered only in down, with eyes still closed. TRC says the Kestrel nestlings’ nest was accidentally destroyed.
Anyone with information on active Kestrel nests should contact Raptors@tetonraptorcenter.org.
The Audubon Guide to North American Birds says the American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America. Kestrels nest in tree cavities or rely on nesting boxes provided by conservationists. Incubation happens by both parents and usually lasts around 28 to 31 days, when the nestlings then begin to fledge, or take flight.
TRC reminds community members that while a nestling found on the ground can be returned to the nest if safely accessible, touching a found chick or fledgling should be avoided unless the animal shows signs of injury like blood or an open wound.
“Its greatest chance of success in the wild depends on leaving it where it is to develop normally under the care of its parents,” TRC says.
TRC has an Injured Raptor Hotline that runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Call 307-203-2551, Ext. 1, to report an injured bird or ask for assistance returning a chick to a nest.
