Data from: Falcons using orchard nest boxes reduce fruit-eating bird abundances and provide economic benefits for a fruit-growing region

1. Suppression of pest species via a native predator is a regulating ecosystem service that has the potential to limit crop damage and produce economic benefits. American kestrels (Falco sparverius) are widespread, highly-mobile, generalist predators that hunt in human-dominated habitats and potentially provide previously undocumented ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. 2. We hypothesized that kestrel activity associated with nest boxes and artificial perches acts to increase perceived predation risk that, in combination with direct predation, can reduce fruit-eating bird abundances in orchards. We used counts and observations of fruit-eating birds from fixed-width transect surveys to investigate variation in bird abundances and to estimate sweet cherry loss in cherry orchards with and without active kestrel boxes. We also conducted a benefit-cost analysis of nest box installation and used regional economic modelling to estimate macroeconomic impacts of increased sweet cherry production in Michigan, an important US fruit-production region. 3. Fruit-eating bird counts were significantly lower at orchards with active kestrel boxes. Although kestrels used the perches in young orchard blocks and may benefit from them, the presence of perches did not have a significant effect on bird counts. 4. Benefit-cost ratios for kestrel nest boxes indicated that for every dollar spent on nest boxes, $84 to $357 of sweet cherries are saved from fruit-eating birds. Regional economic modelling predicted that increased sweet cherry production from reduced bird damage would result in 46 to 50 jobs created and $2.2 million to $2.4 million in increased income for the state of Michigan over a five-year period. 5. Synthesis and application. Kestrel nest boxes in sweet cherry orchards provide a highly cost-effective ecosystem service with potential reverberating benefits for a regional economy. Box occupancy rates will undoubtedly vary across landscapes and regions. However, costs to install and maintain boxes are small and, even if box occupancy rates are low, boxes can direct kestrel activity to particular places in agricultural landscapes where they can deter pest birds. Thus, the potential benefits in fruit crops greatly outweigh the costs of this pest management strategy.1. 通过本地捕食者管控有害生物物种是一项调节型生态系统服务，具备限制作物损害并产生经济效益的潜力。美洲红隼（American kestrel，学名*Falco sparverius*）分布广泛、移动性强且为广食性捕食者，常于人类主导的生境中捕猎，有望在农业景观中提供此前未被记录的生态系统服务。 2. 本研究假设，与巢箱及人工栖木相关的红隼活动会提升食果鸟类的感知捕食风险，结合直接捕食作用，可降低果园内食果鸟类的种群丰度。我们通过固定宽度样线调查对食果鸟类进行计数与观测，以此探究果园内鸟类丰度的变化，并评估设置与未设置活跃红隼巢箱的樱桃果园中甜樱桃的损失情况。此外，我们开展了巢箱安装的成本效益分析，并借助区域宏观经济模型，估算美国重要水果产区密歇根州内甜樱桃产量提升所带来的宏观经济影响。 3. 在设置活跃红隼巢箱的果园中，食果鸟类的计数结果显著更低。尽管红隼会利用幼龄果园区块内的栖木并可从中获益，但栖木的存在并未对鸟类计数结果产生显著影响。 4. 红隼巢箱的成本效益比显示，每投入1美元用于巢箱建设，便可从食果鸟类口中挽回84至357美元的甜樱桃损失。区域宏观经济模型预测，若因鸟类损害减少而使甜樱桃产量提升，密歇根州在五年内将新增46至50个就业岗位，并带来220万至240万美元的收入增长。 5. 综合与应用：甜樱桃果园内的红隼巢箱可提供极具成本效益的生态系统服务，并为区域经济带来潜在的连锁增益。巢箱占用率无疑会随景观与区域的不同而有所差异，但巢箱的安装与维护成本极低；即便巢箱占用率较低，巢箱仍可引导红隼活动聚集至农业景观中的特定区域，从而起到威慑害鸟的作用。因此，该害鸟管控策略的潜在收益远高于其投入成本。