Help give our newest Kestrel a rockin’ name!

This adorable new ambassador, a male American Kestrel, needs a name!

He’s about 1 year old, and came to us from Salt Lake City. He was presumed to be a window strike, but upon evaluation, the Utah rehabilitation center deemed him an imprinted bird. That means he wouldn’t be able to survive on his own in the wild. With only a female American Kestrel on our ambassador roster, we decided to give this little guy his forever home in South Dakota.

He has a sweet, spunky personality and has been training with dedicated volunteers.

American Kestrels are common in our region and offer huge benefits for their environment. Kestrels’ migration patterns can vary, but these swift, small birds can travel thousands of miles between breeding and nesting season!

While the beloved Hendrix, BHRC’s first male Kestrel ambassador, cannot be replaced, this little guy is a delight to have around. Consistent with cool rocker names for BHRC Kestrels, volunteers submitted name suggestions, and the Board of Directors has narrowed down the options.

The contest will run from Friday, July 18 to Friday, August 1, 2025.

Your chance to vote is nearly here!

Click Here To Vote for His Name!

Our mission is to conserve and protect native birds of prey and their natural habitats through education, rehabilitation, and research.

Watch an educational program with

Black Hills Raptor Center.

About Black Hills Raptor Center

Who We Are:

The Black Hills Raptor Center is an all volunteer group, managed by an 8 person board of directors. We are a not-for-profit organization with a 501 (c) 3 status from the Internal Revenue Service…

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Mission Statement:

The mission of the Black Hills Raptor Center is to conserve and protect native birds of prey and their natural habitats through education, rehabilitation, and research.

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What We Do:

The Black Hills Raptor Center provides 125-150 educational programs annually using live raptors. We present in classrooms, at youth programs, in the community, and for special events…

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We Have the Power to Impact Our Future,
and We’re Doing Something About It

Building a Dream

The idea of developing BHRC (Black Hills Raptor Center) began on September 2010. That is when John Halverson and Maggie Engler set about the task of reducing “nature deficit disorder” in their corner of the world…

Help Us Help The Raptors

Black Hills Raptor Center relies on contributions from donors to continue our work. Be part of the solution to nature deficit disorder in this region. Donate today!

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Shop The Black Hills Raptor Center Store

BHRC Stickers

Brand new stickers custom designed by one of our volunteers are now on sale for $3 a sticker. These stickers are high quality vinyl stickers that can be placed just about anywhere. They are waterproof and resistant to sunlight fading.

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Black Hills Raptor Mouse Pads Elise

Choose your favorite raptor mouse pads from the birds cared for by the Raptor Center. Order this mouse pad with Elise the Red-tailed hawk on it! Size is a nice large 8” x 9”. This size gives you lots of room to move your mouse around.

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Kestrel / Screech Owl Nest Box

YES! I want a kestrel/screech owl nest box for my property!

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BHRC Coffee Mugs

Drink your morning joe with the birds! These 4 individuals were the original stars of the Black Hills Raptor Center. John calls them the “Founding Four Feathers”. They are Elise the red-tailed hawk, Icarus the great horned owl, Boo the western screech owl, and Hendrix the American kestrel.

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