Field to Flight Foundation?s First Conservation Project

The 2026 Kestrel Initiative marks the very first conservation project launched by the Field to Flight Foundation; a step toward restoring balance to our landscapes and the wildlife that depend on them.

American Kestrels (Falco sparverius), North America?s smallest falcon, have experienced steady population declines across much of their range due to habitat loss, reduced nesting sites, and changes in agricultural practices. The Kestrel Initiative was born from a simple but urgent realization: if we want to keep kestrels on our landscapes, we must actively create space for them.

How It Came About

Field to Flight was founded on the belief that conservation begins where land and people meet?on farms, private properties, and everything in between. The idea for this first project emerged from conversations with landowners, birders, and biologists who recognized both the decline of kestrels and the opportunity to help them through practical, community-driven action.

Nest boxes became the natural starting point. Kestrels rely on cavity nests, and in modern landscapes those natural sites are increasingly scarce. By installing and monitoring high-quality nest boxes, we can provide immediate, measurable support to breeding pairs while building long-term habitat awareness in the communities we serve.

Our Goals for 2026

• Install and monitor 5-10 kestrel nest boxes across priority landscapes
• Partner with private landowners and agricultural landowners
• Collect baseline data to guide future habitat efforts
• Build a replicable conservation model rooted in local stewardship

Our Ambition

The Kestrel Initiative is more than a single-season project, it is the foundation for Field to Flight?s future. Our ambition is to create a scalable conservation model that blends science, education, and hands-on field work. What begins with kestrels in 2026 is designed to expand into broader raptor conservation and working-lands habitat restoration in the years ahead.

This first project represents the heart of Field to Flight: practical conservation, built in partnerships, and designed to last.