Do kestrels mate for life?
After an initial promiscuous phase, kestrels eventually choose one mate, and both the male and the female in the pair take turns incubating the eggs. They nest in tree cavities. Each pair lays 3-7 eggs per clutch, and the eggs hatch after a 30-day incubation period. The babies fledge after another 30 days. Kestrels are able to lay two clutches of eggs in one season if the first fails or if time permits a second batch.
