Hello Everyone,

My name is Bryce Bailey, a high school senior, and I am fundraising to support my research of the American Kestrel in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I am conducting a research project titled "Raptor Roost Research." The goal of this project is to determine the viability and sustainability of 3D printed Kestrel Nesting Boxes. The Kestrel population has declined 88% since the 1960s and is a bird "of concern" in the Mid-Atlantic region. I have already worked with landowners in my area and established two nesting boxes for this upcoming spring nesting season. I am currently in the process of making the 3rd box, but I am looking for a total of five boxes or more to help increase the odds of securing a nesting pair of Kestrels in the spring of 2026. My request funds the cost of an additional two boxes and 3 wireless solar-powered cameras for continuous monitoring of the nest boxes. The cameras allow me to monitor birds or predators coming to the box and, with any luck, to monitor the fledglings as they grow. This information will also be shared through the Cornell Nestwatch site, helping the greater scientific community.