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We learned that there are over 60 species of falcon, a bird of prey known for its powerful, jetfighter flying skills. We didn't find any information about a "common" falcon, but we did read that the common kestrel, F. tinnunculus, is an Old World raptor, a small hawk found in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. Here's a photo of the common kestrel, from the ever reliable Britannica.com, and an audio file of its voice from the Hawk Conservancy in the U.K. Perhaps you'll be able to tell if this is the species
you wish to attract. Exploring the Species > Raptors corner of Yahoo!'s directory, we found an informative site titled Falcons, Hawks, and Eagles of Northern Arizona, which included a page about diverse species of desert falcons around the world. We also discovered a collection of web cam sites, many with real-time cameras focused on peregrine falcon nesting boxes placed high atop buildings in urban settings, and found detailed instructions
for building your own peregrine falcon nesting box. Since the kestrel is a smaller bird with a different lifestyle than the peregrine, it seemed likely that its housing requirements would also vary. Using Yahoo!'s Falcons > Kestrels category as our starting point, we located sites with plans and information for building a nesting box. The Kestrel Box Homepage describes a successful box that the author built and mounted in a palm tree at his home in Chandler, Arizona. Four kestrel chicks hatched, grew, and fledged there this past May. We also found information on Nesting
Aids and Nesting Sites from the city of Linz, Austria. Here, the authors recommend placing the box high up on the outside of a tall building, in a crevice or alcove created by a recessed wall, or even in a skylight. They advise creating an opening to a safe practice area, protected from exposure to wind and weather, for the fledgling birds. Best of luck and let us know how it goes.
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