10 - Conservation Status and Population Dynamics

Summary

The common kestrel is evaluated as Least Concern at global level. However, at the European level, the species is considered of conservation concern due to a continuous moderate decline since the 1980s due to agriculture intensification, landscape simplification, pesticide use and loss of nesting sites. Moreover, the conservation status of some subspecies of common kestrel appears problematic. This chapter discusses the conservation status of kestrel species and subspecies, and the main top-down and bottom-up factors that affect the viability and stability of their populations. It also points out the strong limitations of our knowledge about the density-dependent and independent processes that regulate the demography and dynamics of kestrel populations. Important conservation-related topics, such as urbanisation, pesticides, or use of artificial nest boxes, have been discussed in detail in prior chapters.