Kestrel Dad Raises Chicks Alone After Their Mum Disappears | Full Story of Mr Kes

This is the story of Mr Kes, a kestrel who raised his six chicks alone after their mum disappeared. Male kestrels are not known to brood chicks, nor do they feed them, but this remarkable kestrel father learned to do both. To support my channel and the wildlife rehabilitation and conservation work I do, please donate here:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=A52ZHAMJZC3J4 or join one of my supporter communities in exchange for behind the scenes content here: https://www.robertefuller.com/support_and_donate/00:00:00 Introducing Mr & Mrs Kes00:00:31 House Hunting00:03:31 Courtship00:04:48 Egg Laying00:08:25 Brooding the Eggs00:12:50 Chicks Hatch00:16:24 Six Healthy Chicks00:17:24 Mrs Kes Unsettled00:21:10 Mrs Kes Disappears00:22:48 Kestrel Chick Rescue00:26:48 Mr Kes Broods Chicks00:28:47 I Feed The Rescued Chicks00:29:09 Mr Kes Tries To Feed00:34:29 Mr Kes Defies The Odds00:36:40 Family Reunion00:41:25 Checking On The Chicks00:42:46 Ringing Day00:47:48 Nearly Time To Fly00:51:14 Chicks Fledge01:00:58 A Unique StoryMR & MRS KESThe story begins fully of hope as Mr & Mrs Kes, an established kestrel pair, start a new season and Mrs Kes lays a clutch of six eggs in Ash Stump, a nest box I have designed especially for them.NEST INTRUDERSBut incubation proves hazardous and Mrs Kes is interrupted from her brooding to fight off jackdaws, barn owls and even a red kite after they threaten to invade the nest. CHICKS ALL HEALTHYDespite these dramas, all six chicks hatch successfully and Mr Kes quickly adapts to his new role, hunting round the clock to provide food for his new family. Meanwhile it is Mrs Kes' job to break up the food for the chicks.MRS KES DISAPPEARSBut Mrs Kes seems exhausted and her behaviour changes dramatically. Increasingly, she leaves the nest, leaving the chicks all alone for short periods. Then, when a tawny owl appears at the nest she is visibly shaken and after a second encounter with the owl she flies off, never to return. MR KES FINDS CHICKS ALONEMr Kes returns to the nest to find his chicks without their mother. He drops a vole on the nest floor but he has no idea how to feed them. If they don’t eat soon, they’ll die. KESTREL CHICK RESCUEI decide to intervene. I open the back of the nest and check the chicks. Three are weak and so I bring them into my studio for some intensive care, but I return the other three to the nest in the vein hope that Mrs Kes will return. MR KES TRIES TO BROODWhen I notice Mr Kes trying to brood the chicks later that day, something male kestrels are not known to do, it gives me an idea.I SUPPORT MR KESI leave extra food out for Mr Kes in the hope that he will also try to feed them. And then the incredible happens - I notice him trying to break up food for his young and slowly this male kestrel does the impossible and learns to feed his chicks. RESCUE CHICKSMeanwhile, I fed the younger three chicks six times a day and kept them warm indoors until they are ready to go back into the nest with their wild siblings. FAMILY REUNITEDEventually the three rescued chicks are ready to return to the wild. When I place them back in the nest their siblings look so shocked, but Mr Kes barely breaks his strike, he is so focussed on feeding the brood! RINGING DAYWhen it is finally time to give the kestrel chicks their ID rings I am so proud. After such a difficult start it felt like they had finally made it and were now ready to graduate to adulthood.TIME TO FLYAnd when, one by one, all six chicks finally spread their wings and lift off for their first flights it feels amazing.Mr Kes defied all the textbooks to raise this clutch on his own and, with a bit of help from me, all six chicks are still flying free!#kestrels #wildliferescue #robertefullerI am a British wildlife artist based in Thixendale, North Yorkshire, UK. I build ideal habitats to encourage wildlife into my garden and use nest cams to study their behaviour. These studies inform my paintings. I share the best of my video research on this channel for free. If you would like to support my work please consider a small donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=A52ZHAMJZC3J4Or of course you may like to purchase my artwork which you will find on my website: https://www.robertefuller.com. Many of the paintings are portraits of the creatures you watch here!© Robert E FullerCopyright Disclaimer: Please feel free to share my videos but do not download any content without permission with the intent to re-upload. If you would like to license any content, please get in touch with me at: mail@robertefuller.comStay Connected! You can also follow me on these platforms:Visit my website: https://www.robertefuller.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobertEFullerArt/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertEFullerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/RobertEFuller/