At the European level the lesser kestrel is included in Annex 1 of the Birds Directive, in the list of the Ornis Committee for birds considered as priorities for funding by LIFE. There is an Action Plan in place which includes the framework of the priority actions (Action Plan for the lesser kestrel Falco naumanni in the European Union, 2010). It is catalogued as “Least Concern” in the European Birds Red List (BirdLife International – IUCN 2015).
In Spain, the species is in the List of Wild Species under “Special Protection” (Royal Decree 139/2011, of 4th February) and is included in the category of “Vulnerable” in the Red Data Book for Birds in Spain (2003).
In Extremadura, the species is catalogued as “Sensitive to habitat alteration” in the Regional Catalogue of Threatened Species in Extremadura (Decree 37/2001, of 6th March). In addition, the Decree 110/2015 of 19th May, which regulates the European ecological network Natura 2000, provides specific measures for the conservation of steppe species and urban birds (both encapsulating lesser kestrels). Furthermore, in the Management Plan of the urban SPAs designated for lesser kestrel in Extremadura there is a zonation of these SPAs, measures for the species and “an inventory of important buildings for the conservation of lesser kestrel”.
