The Contribution of Citizen Science to the Conservation of the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) in Israel

Citizen scientist fifth-graders in Israel helped study and conserve the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni), which until recently was classified as vulnerable. Starting in 1996, students constructed and installed nest boxes, conducted occupancy surveys of nest boxes on their school property, and rescued nestlings that fell out of nests. Their activities also involved the surrounding agro-community. Despite these activities, the occupancy surveys documented a decline of about 58% in the number of occupied nests documented by the students and the families that had nest boxes installed at their homes between 2002 and 2013; however, decreases may have been less severe at the school site itself.