Category: Common kestrel

“Our” kestrels online

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A virtual window into our balcony…
Click the camera number to open the  camera page; you can also select it from a list of our cameras. Main camera groups: the kestrel balcony ¦ the swift nestboxes ¦ the kestrel window.
We are also testing a live stream on our Falco tinnunculus brunensis  YouTube channel. See also YouTube live.

The story so far: Kestrels on our balcony have been nesting regularly since 2007. The male of the kestrel pair has been living with us since November 2019. With the previous female (she lived with us from July 2018 to January 2022), they brought out 6 young in 2020 and 4 young in 2021. With the current Mrs Kestrel, who  appeared here on February 12, 2022, then 4 young ones in 2022, 6 ones in 2023 and 2024, in 2025 even 7 ones.

They both spent this winter 2025—26 with us. Courtship began in February. 1st egg laid on April 5th (9:15—9:17), second on April 7th (9:57), third on April 9th (11:18), fourth on April 11th (14:34), fifth on April 13th (18:08), sixth on the night of April 15-16, seveth on April 18th (before 6:10). “Our” female kestrel has been sitting on her eggs permanently since the evening of April 15th.

Currently there are 6 kestrel chicks in the nest. Three hatched on May 11th, the fourth and fifth on May 12th, the sixth on May 13th.

The chicks are 9 days – 7 days old.

When the kestrels are not present, you can see also other birds: tits, nuthatches (regular winter visitors in small mixed troops), sparrows…  and also pigeons, whose presence is a permanent source of conflicts with kestrels.

Swifts as the closest neighbors of “our” kestrels use since 2017 the  nestboxes attached high on the wall above our windows next to the kestrel’s balcony. Their nestboxes  had been empty since the end of July 2025 as well as the swift box on the windowsill next to the kestrel’s balcony, that was occupied by tits last year.
The swifts are already back in our street. They returned on May 1st. We recorded their activity in the swift nestboxes on May 13th.

Kestrels on our kitchen window on the opposite side of our apartment are the second kestrel pair to nest here in 2026. The female laid the first egg on the evening of May 15th, the second on May 18th before dawn, the third on May 20th.

 

Kestrel seasons
Season 2026 (in Czech only).

 

Updated 20/05/2026 07:45

Of Mice and Kestrels

Kestrels (common or european kestrels) stay with us in our flat in a housing estate in the suburb of Brno for a long time. Initially they used our balcony only as a shelter and dormitory, but since the fire in 2006, the situation changed. Starting with the 2007 season kestrels are nesting here. History of nesting can be found here. Photo and video archive here. Continue reading “Of Mice and Kestrels”

Kestrel seasons

Kestrel balcony:
  • 2007
    • 5 + 1 eggs laid (before 2007/05/10).
    • 5 eggs hatched (2007/06/03—2007/06/04).
    • 5 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2008
    • 5 eggs laid (2008/05/05—2008/05/14).
    • 0 eggs hatched.
    • 5 eggs eaten by parents (2008/06/09—2008/06/23).
  • 2009
    • 4 eggs laid (2009/04/24—2009/05/01).
    • 3 eggs hatched (2009/05/27—2009/05/28).
    • 3 juveniles fledged (2 prematurely 2009/06/24 – one of them disappeared, second returned after 3 days; third juvenile fledged 2009/06/30)
  • 2010
    • 6 eggs laid (2010/04/12—2010/04/22).
    • 6 eggs hatched (2010/05/17—2010/05/20).
    • 1 young died (2010/05/31—2010/06/01); 5 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2011
    • 5 eggs laid (2011/04/09—2011/04/18).
    • 5 eggs hatched (2011/05/14—2011/05/15).
    • 5 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2012
    • 5 eggs laid (2012/04/13—2012/04/23).
    • 5 eggs hatched (2012/05/19—2012/05/21).
    • male absent from 2012/05/30 // new male 2012/07/02
    • 5 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2013
    • 5 eggs laid(2013/05/02—2013/05/11).
    • 5 eggs hatched (2013/06/06—2013/06/08).
    • 1 young died (2013/06/17—2013/06/18).
    • sixth juvenile landed and was adopted (2013/07/06—2013/07/25).
    • 4 native juveniles (+ 1 adopted) fledged successfully.
  • 2014
    • 6 eggs laid (2014/04/09—2014/04/20).
    • 6 eggs hatched (2014/05/14—2014/05/18).
    • 6 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2015
    • 6 eggs laid (2015/04/13—2015/04/23).
    • 6 eggs hatched (2015/05/18—2015/05/21).
    • 1 young died (2015/06/20).
    • seventh juvenile landed and was adopted (2015/06/23).
    • 5 native juveniles (+ 1 adopted) fledged successfully.
  • 2016
    • 5 eggs laid (2016/04/13—2016/04/21).
    • 5 eggs hatched (2016/05/17—2016/05/19).
    • 3 young died (2016/05/18—2016/05/31).
    • 2 juveniles fledged.
  • 2017
    • —–
  • 2018
    • 5 eggs laid (2018/05/12—2018/05/19).
    • 4 eggs hatched (2018/06/13—2018/06/16).
    • male absent from 2018/06/26 / female absent from 2018/07/03.
    • 4 nestlings ringed (2018/07/04).
    • 4 juveniles transported to bird rescue center (2018/07/08).
  • 2019
    • 5 eggs laid (2019/04/29—2019/05/09).
    • 5 eggs hatched (2019/05/31—2019/06/05).
    • 2 young died (2019/06/15).
    • 3 nestlings ringed (2019/06/22).
    • 3 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2020
    • 6 eggs laid (2020/04/23—2020/05/04).
    • 6 eggs hatched (2020/05/26—2020/06/01).
    • 6 nestlings ringed (2020/06/16).
    • 6 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2021
    • 5 eggs laid (2021/04/27—2021/05/06).
    • 4 eggs hatched (2021/05/29—2021/05/31).
    • 4 nestlings ringed (2021/06/17).
    • 4 juveniles fledged successfully.
    • 1 juvenile (EC 65001 ring) stays until 2021/09/30.
  • 2022
    • 4 eggs laid (2022/05/02—2022/05/14).
    • 4 eggs hatched (2022/06/07—2022/06/11).
    • 4 nestlings ringed (2022/06/29).
    • 4 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2023
    • Male marked in 2021 with ring ES 65004 found (2023/04/06).
    • 6 eggs laid (2023/04/15—2023/04/27).
    • 6 eggs hatched (2023/05/22—2023/05/24).
    • 6 nestlings ringed (2023/06/14).
    • 6 juveniles fledged successfully.
    • Juvenile marked in 2023 with ring ES 65016 found (2023/08/02)
  • 2024
    • 6 eggs laid (2024/04/08—2024/04/19).
    • 6 eggs hatched (2024/05/14—2024/05/17).
    • 6 nestlings ringed (2024/06/01).
    • 6 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2025
    • 7 eggs laid (2025/04/03—2025/04/16).
    • 7 eggs hatched (2025/05/11—2025/05/14).
    • 7 nestlings ringed (2025/05/29).
    • 7 juveniles fledged successfully.
  • 2026
    • 7 eggs laid (2026/04/05—2026/04/18).
    • 6 eggs hatched (2026/05/11—2026/05/13).
Kestrel window:
  • 2026
    • 3 eggs laid (2026/05/15—2026/05/20).

 

Kestrels nesting results
Statistical calendar (Google Sheets)
Kestrel ringing

Photo + video
Weather archive
About this blog Of Mice and Kestrels

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