Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Ruiz.
Kristina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Five Star Falconry was officially launched on Christmas day 2023 when we did our first Private Meet & Greet! But the history goes back all the way to 2004 when Kristina created her first animal business when she was only 8 years old. She wanted more books about animals to read; so to earn money she started pet sitting, training dogs, grooming animals, and so much more.
After high school Kristina trained and cared for exotic animals (tigers, hawks, servals, turkey vultures, bobcats, owls, capuchins, porcupines, beavers, etc.) and that is where her love for birds of prey truly developed into a passion!
Kristina immediately got a job working with birds of prey as well as training and grooming animals for the movie studios.
The dream of being able to share her birds with the public in many different ways became a realty when Kristina’s closest supporters encouraged her to follow thru and create Five Star Falconry!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been an easy road for Kristina. Born in Russia and adopted twice—first from a Russian orphanage at around 15 months old—her early years were filled with challenges few could imagine. Her first adoptive family in the U.S. kept her for about 15 years, but when she was 17, they decided they no longer wanted her in their home.
Homeless and still in high school, Kristina met Steve, a single father who took her in and showed her what a happy, healthy, and loving home truly felt like. Steve became not just her father but her mentor, teaching her essential life skills and showing her that kindness and stability could exist in the world. He has supported her unconditionally ever since—missing only one of her shows to move his terminally ill mother from Oklahoma to live with them until her passing.
Steve always knew Kristina would succeed. Her resilience and drive to survive became the foundation for her next great passion: Five Star Falconry. What began as a dream is now a mission—to inspire others to care for wildlife, protect raptors, and educate the public about the dangers they face.
Today, Kristina continues to balance the challenges of running her small business with her unwavering commitment to rescue and rehabilitate injured birds of prey. No matter how tough things get, she never hesitates to sacrifice her own comfort—skipping meals if she has to—just to make sure a raptor gets the care, medicine, or surgery it needs to survive.
Because for Kristina, saving lives isn’t just what she does—it’s who she is.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
During the day, Kristina works as an abatement falconer across Ventura, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara counties. This means she uses trained hawks, falcons, and owls to safely deter pest birds from job sites—most often crows, pigeons, and seagulls.
Kristina specializes in seagull and crow abatement, as well as pigeon and ground squirrel control. Large populations of wild pest birds can create serious biohazards and property damage. Crows often tear away insulation for nesting material, pigeons nest—and sometimes perish—inside rooftop AC units, and ground squirrels can erode hillsides or dig dangerous holes on school grounds. Whatever the situation, Kristina and her team are called in to resolve the issue quickly, effectively, and humanely.
She’s especially proud of how far she’s come as a single woman succeeding in a male-dominated field. Though her father, Steve, remains her biggest supporter, Kristina has built a reputation entirely her own—through grit, professionalism, and compassion for the birds she works with.
Her raptors are more than coworkers—they’re family. Each one teaches her something new, especially the rescues, who require unique approaches and patience to regain trust.
What truly sets Kristina apart, however, is her exceptional team of raptors—some of the rarest in the United States. Her most well-known companion, Mila, is a 3-year-old, 6-pound Siberian Eagle Owl whose breathtaking presence captivates everyone she meets. Mila is one of the very few working owls of her kind in the country.
Kristina’s newest partner, Sid, is a 6-month-old Dark Morph European Buzzard—one of only four known in the U.S. Sid’s parents and sibling belong to Kristina’s close friend, making their bond all the more special. Though Sid has proven to be one of her most challenging birds, Kristina is patient and dedicated, and together they continue to make remarkable progress.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
One of the greatest risks Kristina faces comes from her deep commitment to rescuing and rehabilitating wild raptors. When she brings an injured bird onto her property, she never truly knows what illnesses it may carry. Some diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can spread to her family of trained raptors—and certain ones, like avian influenza (bird flu), can be devastatingly contagious. Just one infected wild bird could potentially endanger her entire team of raptors that she’s raised and loved like family. Despite the risk, Kristina continues to take in rescues, determined to give each bird a fighting chance at survival and release.
Another serious challenge Kristina encounters comes from public confrontation while working in the field. As an abatement falconer, she sometimes faces hostility from individuals who misunderstand her work. She’s been attacked twice on the job—the first time by two people (a man and a woman) in a well-to-do neighborhood who physically assaulted her in broad daylight simply because they disapproved of what she was doing. About six months later, another individual (a man) attempted to take her hawk directly from her glove, also in public.
Since then, Kristina has taken every precaution to ensure safety—for herself, her raptors, and her dog. She now works with a trained guard dog by her side and carries non-lethal protection such as gel mace and a taser—a gift from her terminally ill grandmother who wanted her to stay safe.
Unfortunately, these kinds of incidents aren’t rare in the industry. Many of Kristina’s fellow falconers have faced similar situations. Yet despite these dangers, her dedication never wavers. Her first and foremost concern will always be the well-being of her animals and the mission she’s built around protecting them.
Pricing:
- Public Shows start at $65 a ticket
- Mini Private Meet & Greets $150 for 2 people
- Full Falconry Show at Clients Residence starts at $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fivestarfalconry.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivestarfalconry
