The Kestrel Home

The Problem: American Kestrels, the smallest falcons in North America, hunt from perches and nest in off-the-ground cavities without additional nesting material. Creating the perfect manmade-home for this highly specific user means understanding their habitat, predators, and prey. Because of these needs, kestrels rarely use the birdhouses commonly placed by humanity. This project was designed for a specific site in a parklike setting at the University of Colorado.

The Solution: The Kestrel Home takes inspiration from the Saguaro cactus, featuring an arched stand covered in spines to protect from predators (specifically snakes and raccoons), along with a planting box beneath to create a mini-ecosystem favorable to kestrels. These birdhouses are expected to be cleaned seasonally - so the design included an easy dumping feature to allow waste to drop into - and fertilize - the plant box below. The box is meant to host native Colorado wildflowers and attract grasshoppers and other prey.

Skills/Notes: Design inspiration from the concept of biophilia; physical prototype build from chipboard, metal, cork, moss, and balsa wood.