A Guest at the Valley for Three Weeks

The Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is, as the name suggests, a common bird in Bulgarian skies but its population has been affected by human activity: the biggest threat being the encroachment on its habitats by urbanization and infrastructure. Kestrels can be spotted in open areas over meadows, fields and horticultural land. They could even be seen in the skies above towns. 

A group of children, members of the local fishing club near the village of Blatska, find a young bird of this species, visibly around three months old. The bird is nestled on the ground, unable to fly. 

This isn’t the first time a young kestrel stayed at the Valley for recuperation. We had an almost identical case in the summer of 2023. At the time a group of elderly people had found the bird. Back then, we had help from the local ornithology expert to whom plenty of birds in the region own their lives.

It was in 2023 that we put the finishing touches on the bird enclosure so we could host other feathery friends should they need our help. The new guest goes through the same regimen: regular feeding with raw chicken meat; in the wild, kestrels prey on rodents, small reptiles and insects. 

Interaction with humans should be minimal so that the bird doesn't loose his sense of self-preservation. He needs it in order to be released again in its natural environment. So, we sneak in to take a picture on the second week of the kestrel’s stay and, with great satisfaction, we find it making bolder and bolder attempts to fly. 

Having grown into the looks and noble air of a mature bird of prey in just three weeks’ time, we take pride in having assisted in the kestrel’s survival and recuperation. The last few days before the release are all about the right balance of food: not too little to leave the bird weak but not too much to have it too heavy.

Once fully recovered, our kestrel is released back into the wild, under the watchful eyes of the children who found it.

But it is hard to know what to do when you have been through so much so young. The kestrel hesitates for a long while until the skies beckon and it takes flight so suddenly, we fail to capture the exact moment we have been expecting since the first day. 

But what matters is seeing the kestrel soar to the skies, another safe bird to manifest its beautiful kind to the world. Thanks to this experience, the children have created a connection to another species.. That's what truly gives us hope.