Once again, kestrels have returned to nest on the roof of the Vienna International Centre, highlighting how urban wildlife, biodiversity and research can intersect.
Thanks to our 24/7 live cam installed in one of the high-rise homes, nature lovers can watch the mother kestrel raise her chicks without disturbing the birds.
Since 2018, kestrels have consistently chosen to nest in one of UN Vienna's boxes, which were installed with the help and expertise of the City of Vienna's nature conservation department. The birds are also part of a research project led by Austrian researcher Petra Sumasgutner, who studies their migratory behaviour. Last year and the year before, the birds were outfitted with GPS trackers revealing a flight pattern across the Alpine arc all the way to the Mediterranean region.
Kestrels typically stay loyal to their breeding sites, so it is very likely that the same bird or one of its offspring will be breeding at the VIC again next year.
Despite being protected by the law, illegal hunting, lead-based ammunition and deliberate poisoning still threaten birds of prey in Austria. Luckily, kestrels are not primarily affected, as they mainly feed on mice and are not seen as competition by hunters.
The VIC nesting boxes are more than just bird houses – they are part UN Vienna's commitment to nature conservation and biodiversity preservation. They offer birds a protected home in an urban area next to the safe hunting grounds of the Danube Park and Danube Island.
Laurent Ziegler, artist and human trafficking survivor, thinks it's important to know that survivors often don't come from faraway countries but can experience trafficking here in Austria and Germany. Laurent is a member of the UNODC Voices of Resilience Global Forum for Human Trafficking Survivors that provides an empowering space for survivors to share their perspectives.
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