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BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Westfield, Mass.- American Kestrels, small falcons known for their colorful plumage, ability to hover while hunting, and widespread presence across the Americas, are a common sight in the local area. However, one juvenile kestrel recently found itself grounded and in need of assistance at the 104th Fighter Wing.
U. S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Christopher Stiglin, 104th Fighter Wing Airfield Management, has been working at Barnes since 2019. He had never rescued a bird at Barnes but has helped several on his home property.
“When we found him, we were not sure what was going on. He was huddled in the corner by Hangar 19,” said Stiglin “When approached, he started to hop away and attempted to fly.”
Recognizing the bird was in distress, the team remembered their recent training. U.S Air Force Staff Sgt. Miranda Fredo-Agiro, 104th Fighter Wing Airfield Management, gave up her jacket to gently wrap the bird, keeping it safe and secure in a bin. Though the juvenile kestrel had its adult feathers and was no longer dependent on its mother, it was clearly injured and vulnerable.
For the Airfield Management team, wildlife encounters are a standard part of the job. Their primary focus is maintaining a safe environment for aircraft operations.
“Part of the Airfield Management career field is wildlife management,” Stiglin explained. “Looking at it from a safety of flight perspective, we need to be able to move birds on safely so that they are not in the path of any flying jets. When we come across an injured animal, we certainly do not do anything to further injure it.”
To keep the flight line clear, the team uses sound deterrents and pyrotechnics. Just this past April, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Chris Brown, 104th Fighter Wing Airfield Manager Supervisor, oversaw an annual six-hour wildlife training course conducted with the USDA. The team studied local bird activity and tested pyrotechnics in the field.
Another way to deter birds naturally would be to utilize trained falcons to chase off smaller birds. Airfield Management personnel learn in technical schools that bases can fund this with help from USDA, however the 104th does not currently use them.
When a bird strike does occur, the mitigation process is highly scientific. The team collects remains and sampling kits, which are mailed via the USDA to the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab. According to the FAA, this lab, funded through an interagency agreement with the FAA, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Navy, processes over10,000 wildlife strike cases annually**.** This data identifies the exact species, tracks migratory patterns, and helps aviation officials determine how to better deter specific birds from the airfield in the future.
To ensure the injured kestrel received proper medical care, the team contacted Eric Shaffer, a federal wildlife biologist with USDA Wildlife Services. Embedded with the 104th Fighter Wing for six years, Shaffer monitors and disperses wildlife within a five-mile radius of the airfield, including nearby Hampton Ponds and Westover.
Brown, previously a State Trooper with his civilian position, worked with Thomas Ricardi, a Fish and Wildlife Game Warden with over 30 years of experience, who retired to open a bird rehabilitation facility. He remembered his contact and gave the name to Shaffer.
After reviewing credentials, Shaffer transferred the kestrel to Ricardi, a highly trusted, state-recommended wildlife expert. Ricardi is a licensed rehabilitator and wildlife biologist. He is the founder of the Massachusetts Birds of Prey Rehabilitation Facility in Conway, MA, a nonprofit dedicated to nursing eagles, falcons, owls, and hawks back to health.
At Ricardi’s facility, injured birds are carefully evaluated. When the juvenile kestrel arrived, he was seen by a veterinarian. They determined that his wing was not broken. The small falcon, less than one year old, was placed in a small enclosure for the first two days, now he is in a larger flight cage with three female kestrels. Ricardi has said that he is eating well and has moved on to mice.
“Once I can determine he can be on his own I will release him into the valley with the three other kestrels,” said Ricardi. “This will be around September or early October when they will migrate south together.”
Thanks to the quick thinking of the 104th Airfield Management team and their strong partnership with the USDA, this small falcon has been given a second chance.
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2026 08:40 |
| Story ID: | 569503 |
| Location: | WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Airfield Management and USDA Rescue Injured Kestrel at the 104th Fighter Wing, by Melanie Casineau, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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