Kestrel Chicks All Alone After Mum Disappears | Mr & Mrs Kes | Robert E Fuller

When kestrel mum Mrs Kes disappears, she leaves six chicks all alone. Cold and hungry, they will surely die without her. Find out what happens and learn how tough kestrel mums need to be to bring up their babies in the wild.

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*ABOUT THIS FILM*
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Female kestrel protecting six chicks

Mrs Kes's six chicks are just a couple of days old and she has her work cut out. Already she has had to fight off barn owls, jackdaws, tawny owls, and even a red kite, to keep them safe.

Feeding the chicks

Meanwhile she must feed her chicks. Kestrel chicks cannot manage big pieces of food so she tears them into small morsels and feeds each chick in turn.

The male provides

While the female kestrel feeds the chicks, the male’s main role is to provide for the family.

But Mrs Kes isn't well

But over the next few days, Mrs Kes doesn’t seem herself. She’s an experienced mother, but now, she’s restless. She is leaving the nest more often than she should and is struggling to sleep.

Night threat

As night falls, Mrs Kes is particularly jumpy. She can hear the tawny owls outside. When one tries to enter the nest, Mrs Kes leaps to defend her chicks.

Unsteady flight

Kestrels can't see in the dark, so after heading out to investigate a sound in the night, Mrs Kes falls on her return. And when the tawny owl living next door, Luna, flies too close to the kestrel nest, she loses her footing again. She clearly isn't as strong or nimble as usual.

Mrs Kes disappears

Ten minutes later, just after midnight, this female kestrel heads out of the nest.

Leaving chicks alone

By morning, Mrs Kes hasn’t returned and the chicks are calling desperately. Mr Kes returns with food and drops a vole on to the nest floor, but has no idea how to feed them. If they don’t eat soon, they’ll die. One of the chicks tries to eat the prey he returns with, but it doesn't know how to break up the food.

Time to intervene

The chicks have been alone for 10 hours and are getting cold. I climb the ladder and carefully open up the nest. It is full of mice, which normally the mother would’ve fed them by now.

Health check

Some of the chicks are really struggling now. Three are too weak to go back into the nest and I place a heat mat in the nest to keep the other three warm. It’s really important, if the female does return, there are chicks in here, otherwise she might abandon this nest.

Hand feeding the chicks

The chicks I brought in are doing well. They've warmed up and are eating hungrily.

Mr Kes tries to brood

When Mr Kes returns he tries to brood the chicks.This is very unusual for a male kestrel.

Next time...

In the next film… watch how Mr Kes steps up to the challenge.

*ABOUT ME*
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I am a British wildlife artist and filmmaker on a mission to share my love for wildlife with the world. As well as creating detailed animal film and art portraits, I promote wildlife tours around the world and do all I can to help conserve and protect wildlife here at my home in Yorkshire. I hope that by putting nature in the frame I can foster a deep love for wildlife amongst my followers.

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*CHAPTERS*
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00:00 Female Kestrel has Six Chicks
00:19 She Must Defend her Nest
00:46 And Feed the Chicks
01:00 Meanwhile the Kestrel Male Provides Food
01:24 Mrs Kes Isn't Herself
02:44 Night Threat
03:52 Mrs Kes Almost Falls
04:53 Mrs Kes Leaves
05:05 Kestrel Chicks Alone
05:38 Male Delivers Food
06:10 One Chick Tries To Eat
06:27 Time to Intervene
07:00 Hand Feeding Kestrel Chicks
07:15 Taking Kestrel Chicks Out of Nest
07:50 Kestrel Chick Health Check
09:23 Hand Feeding Kestrel Chicks
10:12 Mr Kes Returns
10:27 Kestrel Male Tries to Brood
11:00 Next Time: Mr Kes Steps Up To Challenge

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© Robert E Fuller

#robertefuller #kestrel #falcon #birdsofprey

[RobertEFuller]

I hope you've enjoyed the video!

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[careypierce]

Mr. Kes is just the best Dad. What he did for his brood, learning how to feed and care for them is nothing short of amazing.

[CMK]

We miss you Mrs. Kes!!! Don’t worry, Mr. Kes took care of all the kids. Now they’re all grown up ❤️

[lastone]

Hate that this happened but love that Mr. Kes was able, with your assistance, to raise the chicks. Happy ending❣️

[octaviablackthorn]

So proud Mr. Kes stepped up and learned how to care for them with your assistance.

[kristenevans]

I’m so glad you intervene when necessary. Breaks my heart for this family but it’s amazing how Mr. Kess changes his behavior and adapts to his new role to keep his chicks alive.

[AE-sebl]

My heart breaks for poor Mrs Kes, such worries she had with all threats she had to deal with before she disappeared. She was such a lovin mum caring for her chicks ! Bless you @Robert E Fuller and Mr Kes too for saving these precious chicks ! 🥰🤗

[sentrystorm]

So heartbreaking to see Mrs. Kes in a distressed state and uncharacteristically disoriented; like something was attacking her from the inside out. Hallmarks of a festering infection taking hold. I don't think she had the strength to fly back to the nest after her final attempt at relief, probably to get water. She was an absolutely fantastic, devoted mum. Thank you REF for helping her legacy live on, both in video and with her babies. ❤

[angelserenade]

i almost got teary eyed watching the last moments we get to see mrs. Kes. It is unfortunate and sad that she has not returned again to see her brood survive to adulthood. I guess several factors had come to play that caused for her to disappear, such as trauma or injuries. But she has proven that she is a formidable little falcon at the very end.

[hfar_in_the_sky]

Seriously, you could make an award winning animated children's film out of Mr. Kestrel's ordeal as a single father

[sylphofthewildwoods]

Poor Mrs Kes.
She did such a valiant job protecting her chicks.
Sad that she wasn't able to continue.
However, we get a fantastic view at how the papa bird steps in and finished the job of rearing the keslets.
Yay Mr Kes!
Thanks to some help from you, Mr. Fuller.

[theowlmancometh]

Wherever you fly, the best to you Mrs Kes, you were a good mother as long as you could. Mr Kes and Robert made sure your kesslets made it.

[MrHistorian]

I live quite close to Robert Fuller's gallery in Thixendale. He's an amazing artist as well as a phenomenal advocate for wildlife in his area.
Every time I visit his gallery, I leave with a lot less money than when I arrived. But driving round the area around the gallery, what strikes you is the sheer wealth of wildlife: one night I saw 4 different Barn Owls within 3 miles of his home and that is almost certainly due to his custodianship.
The man deserves an award for his work.

[SabrinaPhynn]

Thank you for intervening and giving Mr Kes a helping hand. These feisty chicks did great despite their initial struggles. And wasn't it amazing to see how Mr Kes stepped up when Mrs Kes didn't return? We all mourn losing her, but she defended them brilliantly. 🥰

[tbascoebuzz]

This was such a helpful and informative video of the changes Mrs. Kes was experiencing her last days before her disappearance. Mr. Kes immediately assessed the problem and stepped up to assume both roles. Nature can be harsh. Thank you RF. ✨💖✨

[kaya]

💜 Mrs Kes behaved as if badly internally injured
... there are birds that leave their nest
after severe injury and wait out their last days (or minutes)
elsewhere very sad
💜
.... i will always remember the bravery and beauty of Mrs Kes
..

[Sasser]

This was an amazing saga to view in real certainly worthy of a video series. Watching Mr. Kes slowly figure things out and transform into Mr. Mom was something to behold.

[dove]

So happy you’re helping the kestrel family🧡it seems Mrs.Kes was worn out or maybe something else with her health but she was a hard working mum.

[starinthesky]

This is truly amazing how the father is trying to adapt to the situation . Thanks for taking care and for sharing

[SixFourZero]

I am not usually a bird person, but my heart almost dropped and broke when you had to step in. I was so worried for them. Theyre so small and precious. I am so happy you saved them.