Falcons Could Help Fruit Growers with Food Safety

A study from Michigan State University found that falcons don’t just play a role in keeping pest birds off of cherry crops—they also promote food safety by preventing other birds from contaminating fruit with their droppings. This study involved placing nest boxes for kestrels in cherry orchards. When kestrels used these nest boxes and were present in orchards, fruit-crop damage by robins, grackles, and starlings was reduced more than tenfold. In addition, the presence of kestrels led to a three-fold reduction in bird droppings on branches. One implication of this research is that kestrels might be enlisted to help protect the food safety of other crops, such as leafy greens.

Related ATTRA publication: Beneficial and Pest Birds: Vertebrate IPM Tip sheet