# Live-trapping little falcons



## Hawker (Jan 6, 2003)

We have a two week season in April when licensed falconers are allowed to take wild kestrels to train for falconry. These fierce little predators take well to hunting with people and are a gas to go after sparrows and starlings. Though I decided against keeping one to train this spring--too much going on, trapping is too fun to miss (even when you're sick). A new falconer offered to do the driving, so I couldn't resist going out yesterday and today. 

Like most outdoor endeavors, you need to have a lot of patience and keep a sense of humor. As you drive around looking for kestrels, you say "there's one! uh, no, dove..." You make lots of comical mistakes--like catching the trap on yourself as you're trying to serve it to the bird! 

Ultimately, we caught only one on each day, though we saw many more in the hours we searched. But that's why they don't call it "catching."


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