PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The lesser kestrel is a small bird of prey which migrates from Africa, where it winters, to its breeding colonies in southern Europe. These are often in disused buildings with the surrounding farmland serving as foraging grounds. Over 200 pairs nest in the project site, occupying roofs and crannies in disused buildings scattered across the Villafáfila steppes and traditionally used for pigeon rearing.
The principal threat to the species in this area is the lack of nesting sites as the buildings which it colonises deteriorate. At the same time intensive farming using chemicals and the replacement of dry crops by others requiring irrigation have transformed the habitat of this species all over Europe, with an adverse effect on populations, which are now giving cause for concern. Because of its dwindling population, this species has been designated as a priority for funding by LIFE-Nature.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this project is to maintain the nesting colonies of lesser kestrel in the Villafáfila reserve. To this end, the survival of the 13 existing colonies on this site will be secured by installing artificial nesting boxes, renovating and repairing roofs and restoring pigeon-houses so that they can be occupied by new pairs. Full account will be taken of the traditional architecture of the region in the process. To assess the effectiveness of the measures taken, the species will be monitored.
The project will also be coordinated with similar schemes in other regions of the European Union. Information packs will be designed and an exhibition on conservation of the species will be prepared for viewing at the visitors centre at the Villafáfila reserve.
RESULTS
This project has had mainly four results:
1. To assure the maintenance of the lesser kestrel population in the SPA. The species’ population at the end of the project was 4 percent higher as compared to the project beginning: from 273 breeding pairs in the year 1999 to 283 pairs in 2003 (35 percent increase as compared to the 211 pairs in 1997). The population in the SPA is increasing but undergoes important peaks, as in the year 2000, middle of the project, the population grew to 335 pairs. These fluctuations have not been explained by the beneficiary although probably depend not on the site management but on the wintering conditions in Africa. Anyway, the species in 'Villafáfila' SPA is currently healthy and increasing.
2. To create alternative breeding sites for the lesser kestrel. This objective has been fully reached as after the end of the project there are 25 new colonies in the SPA, with 233 new breeding sites on dovecotes’ roofs and on the church of Otero de Sariegos. Some of them (20 percent) have been already occupied and it is foreseen at least a 70 percent of occupation in the future.
3. To preserve the traditional architecture, mainly the dovecotes’ roofs where the lesser kestrel breeds. The recovery of 24 dovecotes with the inclusion of new breeding places was carried out integrating the typical architecture of the area. The results of this recovery had been notably successful both from a landscape and a conservation point of view.
4. To carry out an education and awareness-raising campaign on the species and its habitat. The local awareness on the species has raised considerably, and the lesser kestrel is now regarded as an effective element against pests and as linked to sources of income to the area. This is partly due to the LIFE signposting, which includes the lesser kestrel, but mainly to the good quality of the awareness campaign that consisted in a poster and a leaflet edited to start the project actions and to prepare the informative campaign of the dovecotes’ recovery, a booklet, and a exhibition in the Interpretation Centre of Villafáfila. The booklet described the SPA, the changes undergone in the landscape, the species -its differences with other similar species, ethology, population, migration, problems and solutions- and the LIFE project. This booklet was distributed among local educational centres. The specific area for the lesser kestrel in permanent exhibition at the SPAs Interpretation Centre has contributed to raise the awareness of the local population and the wider public, as the centre is very popular. The exhibition, although not very large, was sufficient. The interactive point was also quite attractive.
In all, it can be concluded that all the objectives have been achieved and the project has been a success.
The preparatory actions were carried out very satisfactorily. The campaign for information on the dovecote’s recovery was implemented really well and the project objectives were fulfilled.
The data collected during the monitoring of nesting boxes show good tendencies in the colonisation of the new artificial nests placed; 11 percent in the first year and 20 percent in the second is a high percentage, as compared to the rest of the colonies of the SPA. Taking into account this trends, the final percentage of occupation will be possibly higher than 70 percent.
The non-recurring management actions were also carried out properly, timely and with a high level of success. The number of dovecotes repaired, 24, is practically the maximum previously foreseen (27), and one more dovecote repaired with the beneficiary’s own funds has been signposted as those of the LIFE project.
All the recurring management actions have been carried out, they consisted mainly in the construction of a specific breeding building for the species and the monitoring of the artificial nests installed. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the breeding building will not be reported within this LIFE project. This action should be monitored in the future and the suitability of the construction of this type of buildings tested.
The cooperation among the managers of the species in the different regions of Spain was very good. Thanks to this cooperation the building constructed for the lesser kestrel breeding is better and there are higher possibilities of reproduction in it.
The implementation of the awareness-raising actions has been satisfactory with the only lack of a second meeting of experts on the species. The ideas of the first meeting were very appealing and the beneficiary demonstrated a real interest in taking on board the best ideas suggested by other participants. That meeting was also well co-ordinated and organised.
The project has indirectly helped the site by the withdrawal of the Irrigation Plan foreseen, planned by the regional government (Agriculture Department) and pushed up by the local farmers. The existence of EU funds and the LIFE mark have helped in the fight against this plan and the Environment Department has stopped the implementation of a plan that would have been very harmful for the steppe species and habitats. The LIFE project was one of the main information sources for the Commission as regards the situation of this affection to the Natura 2000 site. Therefore, LIFE is responsible in part for these good news.
The breeding monitoring, the surveillance of the species, and the control of threats should be continued. Despite the efforts made, the species is still threatened not only in this SPA but in its whole distribution range. The species’ situation in the wintering areas is totally uncontrolled. A complete analysis of this issue should be carried out to understand the fluctuating peaks of the EU population.
