

American Kestrel Research Initiative
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Meet Our Team
We are a team of agroecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation researchers united by a shared commitment to American Kestrel research and conservation. Together, we manage a long-term research, monitoring, and outreach program to strengthen American Kestrel populations and support the future of this species in California.
Dr. Breanna Martinico
Human-Wildlife Interactions Advisor
University of California Cooperative Extension
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources​
Breanna leads an applied research and extension program focused on agricultural sustainability, wildlife conservation, and the reduction of chemical inputs on working landscapes. Her work provides agricultural producers and land managers with science-based strategies that support ecological pest management and enhance the resilience of California's farms, rangelands, and natural ecosystems.

Robyn Boothby
Research Associate
University of California Cooperative Extension
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Robyn has worked with birds since 2007, when she began volunteering at the California Raptor Center at UC Davis. She specializes in birds of prey, having spent over 15 years banding migratory raptors in California. Over the years Robyn has also worked with species ranging from giant California Condors to tiny but fierce American Kestrels.

Mary Badger
PhD Candidate - Graduate Group in Ecology
Genomic Variation Laboratory
University of California Davis
Mary studies raptor ecology in agricultural landscapes. She specializes in conservation genetics and movement ecology, using tools such as environmental DNA metabarcoding, GPS tracking, and nest box monitoring. Mary has more than five years of experience in genetics and avian field work, including banding and long term monitoring of wild raptor populations.
Dr. Ryan Bourbour
Research Associate
Raptor Ecologist
Ryan has worked in raptor conservation and ecology for more than 15 years. He has led collaborative projects examining environmental contaminants, raptor interactions on working landscapes, Neotropical raptor migration, and the dynamics of migrating food webs involving raptors and songbird prey.
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