the nesting platform project

Context

Barn owls are in serious decline in parts of Ireland caused by a lack of nest sites and suitable foraging habitat. In the past, barn owls would have nested in cavities in dead trees. With the loss of our woodland over several centuries, barn owls began to nest in old buildings. However, many of these are now in such a poor state that they are no longer suitable as nesting locations. This is one species that can readily be helped via the provision of suitable nest boxes, both outdoors (in mature trees) and indoor (in barns and sheds).

Ospreys have recently been introduced into SE Ireland. Once a common species, they are now mostly seen on migration. Possibly passage birds from Scotland. Ospreys often nest on artificial nesting platforms; again, as old tall trees are not as common as they were in the past. Particularly close to loughs and estuaries, where they would be most useful. If suitable nest sites were available, perhaps more of these majestic birds would stay around our shores to augment the fledgling population now being established in the counties in SE Ireland.

Kestrels are now red listed in Ireland due to a recent serious population decline. One of the difficulties with this situation is that the exact causes of the decline in Kestrels are not known. Loss of habitat has been suggested, along with decreasing prey populations, agricultural chemicals along with a lack of suitable nest sites. Kestrels do use both natural cavities (like tree hollows) and artificial cavities (such as old buildings) for their nests, and it is possible that reduced availability of nest sites like these is having an effect on their population. This lim