Which of the following is a danger faced by trained kestrels?

Trained kestrels, like many birds of prey, face various dangers in their environment. Among the choices provided, competition from larger raptors such as Cooper's hawks represents a significant threat to kestrels. These larger birds may hunt kestrels or compete for the same food resources, leading to a potential risk for the smaller falcon. Kestrels may also be at risk during territorial disputes or if they are not aware of the presence of a higher-tier predator such as a Cooper's hawk.

This risk is particularly profound given the social dynamics and food hierarchy in avian communities, where larger raptors exert predatory pressure on smaller species and can disrupt their feeding and breeding behaviors. Understanding these interspecies interactions is critical for falconers, as it helps them to create more effective management strategies for their trained birds and ensures their safety during hunting or free-flight exercises.

The other dangers mentioned, while relevant to the overall survival of kestrels, do not pose the same direct risk as competition from another predatory bird. For example, while intruders or pet cats may be harmful, they do not represent the ecological competition that can directly impact trained kestrels in the ways that predation or direct competition with hawks does.