Date: May 15, 2018
Source: Michigan State
University
A new Michigan State University study, published in
the Journal of Applied Ecology and funded by the National Science
Foundation, shows that America's smallest raptor can boost Michigan's -- and
other fruit-growing states' -- bottom lines. It's the first study ever to
measure regional job creation due to native predators' regulating services.
American kestrels can be found from Alaska to southernmost
South America. They dine on bugs, mammals and fruit-eating birds. Growers can
attract more of these beneficial birds by building nesting boxes. More kestrels
mean fewer pests, and the tiny hawk's mere presence can produce measurable
improvements, said Catherine Lindell, MSU integrative biologist and study
co-author.
"Having more American kestrels around orchards reduces
the number of fruit-eating birds significantly," she said. "It's not
just a microeconomic boost that simply benefits the fruit grower, either; it
has a macroeconomic effect that benefits the state's economy."
Lindell and her team calculated the benefit-to-cost ratios for
building kestrel nest boxes around orchards. The results showed that every
dollar spent, $84 to $357 of sweet cherries are saved from fruit-eating birds.
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