kestrels

[quest]

can i buy a kestrel

[SteveD]

No. Get a girlfriend!

[New Forester]

Kestrels are protected, as are all wild birds in the UK. Only injured individuals may be kept, or captive-bred ones with a licence. Otherwise it's a serious criminal offence to catch, buy or keep them. Falconers and zoos have licences to keep their birds of prey, of both native and exotic species. I expect some do keep kestrels. However, I'm sure that neither a falconer nor a zoo would sell any bird to someone who did not know how to look after it -- and keeping a kestrel needs a very great amount of time, skill and dedication. You won't get a licence to keep one without enough experience. If you are truly interested, I suggest you find a falconer near you and see if they will let you help look after the birds. If the birds like you and you understand them, perhaps you could go on from there. Also, if you have not already, read "A Kestrel for a Knave", by Barry Hines. This was the book on which the film "Kes" was based, and is about a troubled young lad who learns how to keep a kestrel (the law were different in them days...). The book has a great deal about falconry in it. Also try "Goshawk" by R M Lockley, which also shows you just how hard it is to train and keep a savage hunter. Good luck!