Princeton NJ Non-Profit Press Releases

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and Wild Bird Research Group Introduce Hatch A Hundred Kestrels Campaign

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and Wild Bird Research Group partner to expand the State's most successful American Kestrel nesting program!

[Hopewell Township, NJ – January 6, 2025] – In 2012, the American Kestrel was listed as a threatened species in New Jersey. Decades of habitat loss, a decline in suitable nesting sites, and competition from species like the European Starling led to a significant decrease in kestrel populations throughout the Northeast. Despite their small size, kestrels play a crucial role as avian predators, consuming grasshoppers, beetles, voles, mice, and occasionally small birds. The reduction of predator populations can have negative downstream ecosystem effects. Research shows that kestrels help control insect and small mammal populations in agricultural lands and deter birds from fruit orchards, reducing crop losses.

The threatened status of the New Jersey kestrel population indicates that their loss and the subsequent ecological impacts, while not imminent, are possible. This is a clear sign that action is needed.

In 2019, FoHVOS spearheaded an initiative to install 50 kestrel nesting boxes across Hopewell Valley. Since then, the local kestrel population has responded beautifully, with a 400% increase in nest box occupancy and significant growth in fledged chicks, from three in 2019 to 61 in 2023. This past season, we shattered our own record with two-thirds of our nest boxes hosting kestrels, rearing a total of 81 kestrel chicks!

With the most successful American Kestrel nesting program in the state, our goal for 2025 is to Hatch A Hundred kestrels. To make this happen, we've partnered with Wild Bird Research Group, to expand the nesting box program, collect more data to support science-based kestrel conservation, and enhance our reach.

By constructing, installing, and monitoring more kestrel boxes, we can achieve our goal of hatching 100 kestrel chicks to help repopulate New Jersey's rare falcon and eventually bring it out of threatened status.

We're looking for passionate individuals to:

• Monitor nest box sites: Observe and record kestrel activity during the breeding season.
• Host a nest box: Provide over an acre of grassland habitat or farm-adjacent land to install a nest box.
• Connect us with landowners: Help us expand the program by introducing us to others with suitable land.
• Help us build boxes: Help us build boxes for sites, we will have a few building events

Your participation is vital to the success of the Hatch a Hundred campaign. Together, we can make a difference for American Kestrels in our region.

Additionally, FoHVOS and WBRG will host an educational program for the public on December 1 to provide more information about kestrels and our campaign. Join us to learn how you can make a difference!

Registration Information:

Hatch A Hundred Public Program

• Date: Saturday, January 25, 2025
• Time: 2:00PM to 3:30PM
• Location: Calvary Baptist Church, 3 East Broad Street, Hopewell
• Register at: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/9ffzqra

Contact: Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) Jenn Rogers, jrogers@fohvos.org

About FoHVOS:  Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) is an accredited non-profit land trust committed to preserving the unique character of the Valley. Since 1989, we have partnered with the community to preserve land, protect natural resources, and inspire future generations of conservationists.  Today, FoHVOS manages over 3,000 acres of land and 17 miles of hiking trails, embodying the rural essence of Hopewell Valley. Our preserves offer critical habitat for over 40 species of rare plants and animals, safeguard local waterways, and encompass nearly 1,000 acres of old growth forest. We are dedicated to enhancing biodiversity and maintaining healthy ecosystems through our stewardship efforts.  To learn more about FoHVOS, please visit www.fohvos.org.

About WBRG: The Wild Bird Research Group, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to conduct and support research and science-based conservation initiatives that benefit birds and their habitats in the Americas.  WBRG and its associates conduct various research, monitoring, and education programs in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. and Central America, tropical bird banding internships for university students, owl migration and winter ecology research, and bird-focused environmental interpretive programs.