FORAGING HABITAT SELECTION, LAND-USE CHANGES AND POPULATION DECLINE IN THE LESSER KESTREL FALCO-NAUMANNI

1. The selection of foraging habitats by nine radio-tagged adult lesse r kestrels (Falco naumanni) breeding in one colony in southern Spain, was studied in 1989 and 1990. Despite individual differences in the fe eding habitat, there was a general tendency for grassland to be used m ore, and sunflower and woodlots to be used less, than expected by thei r availability. 2. The relatively higher food availability (measured a s the number of hovering bouts by the lesser kestrels to catch one pre y) of grasslands and cereals would explain the kestrels' preference fo r these habitats. 3. Since the 1950s, uncultivated grasslands in the a rea have decreased drastically and have been replaced by new crops, su ch as sunflowers. If grasslands continue to decrease in southern Spain , the progressive decline of lesser kestrel populations will probably continue in those areas.