Adopt-a-Box | The Peregrine Fund

Did you know that ornithologists have been studying American Kestrels in the Treasure Valley for over thirty years? In fact, led by Dr. Julie Heath of Boise State University, the Treasure Valley hosts the one of the largest and longest-running American Kestrel nest box monitoring programs in western North America. Since 2015, Boise State University and The Peregrine Fund have teamed up to maintain this unique resource and continue kestrel research in the Treasure Valley—and you can help!

By symbolically adopting one or more of our kestrel nest boxes here in the Treasure Valley, you can support both Boise State and The Peregrine Fund as we work to understand the threats that impact our smallest falcon. Funds raised go towards replacing boxes, purchasing remote nest cameras and other supplies, and paying for fuel to maintain the trail and band nestling & adult kestrels. Your adoption will be tax deductible. Please consider becoming a part of our team by adopting a box for yourself or a kestrel lover in your life!

For each yearly $100 adoption, you will receive:

Official adoption certificate (first certificates typically sent in February)
Updates on the kestrel family in your adopted box (typically sent between May–July, with the exact timing depending on the birds)
One year membership to The Peregrine Fund (members enjoy a 10% members-only discount at our online store and gift shop, a free birds of prey calendar, invitations to special events, notice of new publications, and free admission for one year at the World Center for Birds of Prey)

Important note: adoptions made prior to or on July 31 will be applied to the current calendar year's breeding season; adoptions made from August 1 onwards will be applied to the next calendar year's breeding season.

Support American Kestrel Conservation by Adopting a Nest Box!

Your adoptions support:

Conservation Training

Nearly a dozen graduate students and more than 100 undergraduate students have learned about migratory birds, raptor biology, conservation, field research, and more while participating in the project. Many have gone on to become today's conservation leaders, giving this local kestrel project a worldwide conservation impact.

A similing scientist removing a kestrel nestling from a box for banding

Matthew Danihel

Updating Technology

In 2022, the team began deploying nest cameras to remotely monitor breeding activity. These cameras allow more frequent nest checks and yield a more in-depth picture of each breeding attempt, while simultaneously requiring fewer site visits per year. This saves time, carbon emissions, and fuel & vehicle maintenance costs, while simultaneously reducing disturbance to the birds.

A nest camera view of a female kestrel inside a box with her young nestlings

Courtesy of Boise State University

Replacing Hardware

The team's box network currently consists of approximately 150 nest boxes split between two study sites, one in the greater Boise area and a high-elevation site in south-central Idaho. Due to the project's longevity, a few aging boxes need to be replaced every year to allow continued data collection while maintaining bird safety.

A new kestrel box mounted on a utility pole

Courtesy of Boise State University

Traveling & Tracking

Each year, the team crisscrosses southern Idaho to band as many adult and nestling kestrels as possible. Banding allows individual kestrels to be re-identified in the future, allowing researchers to study movement patterns, within-year and year-to-year survivorship, nest selection preferences, and more.