In the bird world, an American kestrel is considered a "top gun," since this
smallest member of the falcon family can easily reach aerial diving speeds of
96 km/h when locked on to its prey -- which, by the way, seldom escapes.
"They're cute, but fierce," says Karen Steensma, a biology professor and
researcher at Trinity Western University in Langley Township.
They're also beginning to play a key role in research that seeks an acceptable
alternative to the annoying propane cannons that are now banging away on
blueberry farms throughout the Fraser Valley.
Cannons are an inexpensive tool many farmers prefer to discourage the
ubiquitous starling from feeding on and damaging high-value blueberry crops,
but propane cannons firing regularly from sunrise to sunset seven days a week
during blueberry season also infuriate nearby neighbours in ever-spreading
residential areas.
In many cases, these homeowners are downright livid and their calls for an
outright ban on propane cannons grow stronger each blueberry season.
But Steensma believes she has an acceptable solution, courtesy of Mother Nature.
The American kestrel, which is found throughout North America, is known for
being particularly territorial, so starlings avoid wherever it nests and lives.
And this diminutive bird (it's only about 25 centimetres long) is the only
falcon that will nest in man-made boxes.
This makes it a great candidate for nesting and living in blueberry fields
throughout what Americans call the Pacific Northwest, where this bird of prey's
numbers have also declined.
The research, which Steensma began 21/2 years ago in Washington state and is
now beginning in the Fraser Valley, looks at how the American kestrel
population can be increased by using man-made nesting boxes on blueberry farms.
The major side benefit, of course, is that this mini-falcon will also keep
starlings away from the blueberries -- and that's why the B.C. Blueberry
Council is contributing about $5,000 annually to Steensma's multiyear research
project.
Starlings also do significant damage on Fraser Valley dairy farms, where they
feed on stored forage.
"Based on our previous research, it does seem like using real birds of prey is
the best option, because starlings are very smart and they soon get used to
cannons and other artificial control methods," Steensma says.
"So, if we can restore the American kestrel in this project, while benefiting
agriculture at the same time, then we've got a win-win situation," she says.
The falcon may even be more effective on organic blueberry farms, where a ban
on insecticides means more insects for the American kestrel to eat, she notes.
The feisty little falcon has also been used effectively to control starling
invasions in eastern Washington cherry orchards.
"What we saw in the cherry orchards is that a pair of American kestrels could
handle about 10 acres of fruit trees and that they reduced the fruit losses
from 30 per cent to one per cent," she explains.
Many Fraser Valley blueberry producers hope for similar results here.
"We fully support this research because an acceptable alternative to propane
cannons will benefit everyone," says Will Van Baalen, executive director of the
B.C. Blueberry Council.
blewis@theprovince.com
