This January work has started to improve nesting sites for lesser kestrels in the following churches: San Vicente the Martyr in San Vicente de Alcántara, San Mateo in Alburquerque and San Bartolomé in Jerez de los Caballeros. All this work is part of the Action C1 Improving nest sites in buildings of heritage value in the urban SPAs of Extremadura in the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project.
The three buildings with lesser kestrel colonies will have, as well as improvements to the nesting sites and installation of nest boxes, maintenance work carried out. In the cases of San Mateo in Alburquerque and San Bartolomé in Jerez de los Caballeros external nest boxes will be installed. In the latter as well, there will be work carried out to prevent the entry of pigeons inside the building, since they are causing problems of dirt and noise, and competing with lesser kestrels by taking over their nesting sites. Holes where pigeons enter will be closed, in a way that will not affect lesser kestrels and other species and in a way that will also avoid visual impact in a building that is listed for its cultural importance. In the case of San Vicente the Martyr, nest boxes will be installed below the roof, cleaning of the roof will be carried out and platforms erected for white storks.
The work will be completed before 15th February 2019 to avoid any interference with nesting lesser kestrels. However, technicians from the General Directorate of the Environment, together with the General Directorate of Libraries, Museums and Cultural Heritage, will be supervising the work at all times.
As soon as the breeding season of the lesser kestrel finishes, other work planned for 2019 will start, in action C1 as well as C2. Such work is planned in San Jorge in Cáceres, as well as in Zafra, Plasencia, Trujillo, Brozas and Garrovillas de Alconétar.
