Busted Buster Flies Free

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Agneta Murnan
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  "Buster" is an American Kestrel, smallest member of the falcon family. She works at Vance Air Force Base free of charge, explained Richard Johndrow, a Computer Sciences Corporation entomologist for Vance. This territorial bird of prey hunts insects, small rodents and small birds, keeping them away from aircraft and their flight patterns. The Kestrels are native to the area and have been integrated as part of Vance's pest control program. Making a home of Hangar 141 for roughly three years, Buster has regularly swooped through several hangars on the flight line, chasing out pigeons and other pests.

On the afternoon of January 29, 2007, Corey Wieden, CSC Aircraft Mechanic, saw Buster fly into the hangar door and fall, stunned, onto the wing of a T-38. Upon recognition of the bird, Mr. Wieden contacted David Crabtree, also a CSC entomologist for Vance; Mr. Crabtree contacted Julie Miller. Ms. Miller of Breckenridge, Okla. has state and federal certifications to rehabilitate wild animals, including birds like Buster.

Buster soon found herself in a small, comfortable, dark box as Mr. Wieden transferred the bird to the care of Ms. Miller. Ms. Miller ensured Mr. Wieden that Buster had proper nutrition, room to exercise and a calm area in which to recover. Buster was back on her feet, and able to fly and perch in a little over a week.

Wieden, Johndrow, Crabtree and several others in Hangar 141 gathered around Buster on Friday, February 9, 2007 to watch the reluctant falcon survey her familiar surroundings and take flight to the rafters.

Without the aid of Buster and her mate, the warm, dry, lofty hangars could attract over 8,000 pigeons, as they did in 1999. Mr. Johndrow remembered that all it took was one leader pigeon to find a falcon-safe hanger and declare it "the Ramada Inn" for the rest of the flocks. It took at least one hour everyday to clean the mess left by the roosting pigeons. Controlled shoots were a part of the routine as well, in order to ward off the unwelcome birds.

Buster has always been around keeping watch, told Corey; everyone is glad to have her back and ready to work.