Rare lesser kestrel in Israel

This is an Italian TV video about lesser kestrels.

From daily Haaretz in Israel:

07/04/2009

Rare bird becomes integral part of Galilee moshav‘s life

By Eli Ashkenazi

At first they were only visitors, small flying migrants, but recently the lesser kestrels (falco naumanni) have become a integral part of the life of the Danin family of Moshav Elyakim. “Housing for homeless kestrels” is what the father, Shlomi, calls the nesting box that has been built in their yard. After school and work, Shlomi and his children – Aviv, 13, Adi, 12, Daniel, 7, and Yigal, 5 – are busy studying, following and observing the rare small falcon.

One day last week, as Danin stood in the living room of his home talking to us, he did not take his eyes off the nearby hill, following his sub-tenants’ hunting route. “They have a daily schedule and the couple work in harmony and as a team. The male looks after the female. We have a lot to learn from them.”

As recognition of their activity on behalf of the lesser kestrel population, the Danin family has recently been awarded the title of “Friends of the Lesser Kestrel” by Menachem Hadar of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. …

The lesser kestrel is the smallest bird of prey in Israel and weighs only 160 grams. It can be identified by its unique colors: Its head and neck are a bluish gray, its feet and eyelids are yellow and the rest of its body is chestnut brown. However, its beauty does not help it in the struggle for survival: The lesser kestrel population is in a constant downward trend. It is estimated that over the years the number of pairs has dwindled to only about 600. …

One of the main reasons for the dwindling lesser kestrel population in Israel is damage to its nesting sites. Often the birds choose to nest in the roofs of homes. Renovations and the replacement of old roofs reduce the possibilities for nesting, and damage to open areas also harms the kestrels, which lose hunting grounds.