American Kestrel - Relationship With Humans

Relationship With Humans

One important use of American Kestrels is in falconry. Although most falconers prefer larger birds such as Peregrine Falcons and Northern Goshawks when hunting, kestrels can be used to catch small birds, insects, and rodents. American Kestrels are also often used in scientific studies, because they can be bred easily in captivity. By artificially manipulating the daylight hours in captivity, scientists have bred them more than once a year.

Migratory raptors native to the United States are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, so American Kestrels are illegal to possess without a permit in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.