DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah — The final American kestrel banding of the season took place July 8, near Victory Garden in English Village, capping off months of monitoring with a close encounter of the feathered kind.
Hosted by the Directorate of Public Works, the event gave attendees a rare, hands-on look at some of Dugway’s smaller residents. Kalon Throop and Keeli Marvel, Environmental Specialists in DPW, gently removed the kestrel chicks from their nest box, carefully recorded their measurements, and then fitted each with a lightweight identification band.
One chick stood out from the rest, a tiny male weighing just 95 grams, making him the smallest banded this season. Most of the chicks have weighed in between 100 and 130 grams.
"We monitor them through the breeding season,” said Marvel. “We go in February and clean out their boxes, making sure they have fresh bedding. Then in March, we monitor them every seven to ten days until all the babies have left.”
The banding project helps track the kestrel populations on Dugway and beyond. A population that, in recent years, has begun to dwindle throughout the state of Utah.
Attendees not only watched the process up close but also got the chance to gently hold a chick, an unforgettable moment for many.
“This was a cool experience, and it’s great to see local wildlife up close,” one participant said.
As the chicks were returned to their nest, the event wrapped with a quiet kind of excitement, one season ending, and a brand new life taking wing.
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