Population features of Kestrels Falco tinnunculus in urban, suburban and rural areas in Central Italy

Breeding Kestrels Falco tinnunculus were studied in Rome with the aim to test the Gehlbach's model. Density was very high in the city-centre (1.9 pairs/km2) and relatively high in the suburbs (0.6 pairs/km2). Nest spacing was low in the city-centre, and close-nesting pairs were recorded. Breeding success was consistent with that of the other European urban areas. Availability of nest-sites, especially holes in ruins, and abundance of prey, especially birds and bats, can partially explain the high breeding density observed in the city-centre. Significant differences among study areas were found in density, spacing, use and reoccupation of nest-sites, confirming the Gehlbach's model. The number of fledglings per pair, number of successful pairs and fledging date did not significantly differ among study-areas, in contrast with the Gehlbach's model.