Giving Kestrels a Place to Call Home: Inside Projet Crécerelle
Across Québec’s fields and rural landscapes, the American kestrel—small, colorful, and agile—has long been a familiar sight. Yet habitat loss and the removal of old trees have made natural nesting sites scarce, threatening the species. Kestrel populations have declined by nearly 38% across Québec, and up to 75% in some agricultural regions. That’s where Projet Crécerelle comes in.
Led by the student chapter of the Wildlife Society at Laval University (Québec), Projet Crécerelle focuses on conserving the American kestrel. Since 2009, students in biology, forestry, and environmental studies have installed and maintained around 70 artificial nesting boxes across the Québec region. Most boxes are on private lands, with permissions coordinated with landowners to ensure safe placement.
Objectives and Activities
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Installing and maintaining nesting boxes in open habitats such as fields and meadows.
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Monitoring reproduction, counting eggs and fledglings, and banding chicks to track survival and migration.
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Collecting data to understand the impact of agriculture on kestrel populations.
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Educating students, volunteers, and the public about kestrel conservation.
At its core, Projet Crécerelle is about small actions with meaningful impact. A single nesting box may seem simple, but for a kestrel pair, it can mean the difference between struggling to survive and successfully raising the next generation. Each box also provides valuable scientific data, helping researchers track population trends and the health of the species.
By supporting Projet Crécerelle, we help protect this iconic small falcon and restore balance to the landscapes we share.
One box, one field, one kestrel at a time.
Thank you to Maxime Légaré-Vezina for the American Kestrel packaging image