The 'significant others' of American Kestrels: Cohabitation with arthropods

We examined the arthropod fauna that coexists in nest boxes with American Kestrel chicks (Falco sparverius) in northwestern New Jersey. Of the seven arthropod species present, five were scavenging beetles, including carrion beetles (Silpha inaequalis), hister beetles (Atholus americanus and Phelister subrotundus), dermestid beetles (Dermestes caninus), and skin beetles (Trox foveicollis), which apparently were attracted to prey remains that accumulated in the nest boxes. Arthropod density and species richness were significantly greater for nest boxes in which kestrels bred than for unoccupied nest boxes.