The Garden Club of America Funds Native Bird Habitat Research

GCA’s Peacock Scholar Employs Innovative Research Technologies to Preserve The American Kestrel

November 06, 2024

By: Sid Hancock

Brooke Prater, GCA 2024 Frances M. Peacock Scholar for Native Bird Habitat, uses radio telemetry and behavioral observations to evaluate wintering home ranges of American Kestrels in Denton County, Texas.

Prater, a master’s student in biology at University of North Texas, explains, “American Kestrel populations have been steadily declining since the 1960s. Although many studies in their breeding grounds have attempted to understand this decline, no clear answer has been discovered.” Prater’s alternative study focuses on the small falcon’s habitat use in wintering grounds to understand foraging and roosting habits. Data collected, says Prater, “are the first quantitative analysis of American Kestrel wintering home ranges and will be crucial for informing targeted conservation management decisions.” 

GCA funding has enabled the collection of over 350 home range points and over 40 hours of behavioral observation. “This winter season,” says Prater, “I will deploy 25 transmitters — thanks to the funding received from the GCA — with the goal of collecting at least 625 locations and over 150 hours of behavioral observations.”

“I am deeply grateful to the Peacock Scholarship for providing the vital funds needed to conduct my graduate research on American Kestrel habitat use,” says Prater. “Thank you, GCA, for your generous investment in my project, which has enabled me to continue this crucial research for kestrel conservation.”

Applications for the Frances M. Peacock Scholarship for Native Bird Habitat and the GCA’s 28 other merit scholarships are now open on the GCA website: https://www.gcamerica.org/scholarships.