Polk County Conservation

The Polk County Conservation Kestrel Monitoring Program originally began in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and monitors kestrel nest box use within Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt. The American kestrel is the smallest native bird of prey of North America. Its current population is regarded as "least concern", but its total numbers are in a sharp decline without the a clear cause on what is driving it. In response to the decline, groups and individuals across the country have began to monitor kestrel nest boxes. Polk County Conservation's nest box data is documented internally for trend tracking and shared with the American Kestrel Partnership for their research. Volunteer Kestrel Monitor Requirements: - Monitor designated nest boxes 1-2 times per month throughout the monitoring season (March 15th - August 31st) - Climb ladders (10 - 15 feet) to nest boxes for seasonal maintenance - Remove nests of invasive species from nest boxes as needed - Use a borescope/snake camera to look into nest boxes while monitoring - Document the animal species and number of adults, eggs, and offspring found within each nest box - Coordinate sharing monitoring supplies/equipment with Polk County Conservation staff and other volunteer(s) - Submit kestrel monitoring volunteer hours at the end of each month *Monitors can borrow Polk County Conservation's snake/borescope camera(s) as well as a ladder for nest box monitoring