American Kestrel - Photos by Bruce Dayton - American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

ORDER: Falconiformes
FAMILY: Falconidae (Falcons - 7 Species)
SPECIES: American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

American Kestrel
The American Kestrel (also known as the sparrow hawk) is the most abundant falcon found in North America. If something of interest is spotted, the kestrel may hover over the area searching out the prey.
SIZE	Smallest (9-11") raptor and the most colorful in the Falcon family.
DESCRIPTION	The females are larger than the males. They both have the long tapered wings, a characteristic of a falcon. The males have a rusty-colored head and reddish-brown back with slate-blue wings. The females have a beige breast with brown streaks and spots and a rust-colored head and reddish-brown wings.
NESTING	Clutch size ranges from 3-6 eggs, which are incubated in 28 to 30 days. American Kestrels are almost exclusively cavity nesters and will use a natural hole in a tree, such as a woodpecker's hole.
RANGE	It is common in most of North America. The American Kestrel live in all of the Americas.
HABITAT	They habitat farm fields and open wooded areas or grasslands with scattered trees in towns and cities, parks and along highways. They can often be seen sitting on power lines waiting for prey to move on the ground.
DIET	Kestrels sit high on a perch searching out large insects such as grasshoppers, small rodents and birds.

INTERESTING FACTS

Hovering

Some birds like the Kestrel, remain motionless while flying, as if they are suspended in air. This is the result of the rapid beating of the wings facing into the wind (as if flying and not getting anywhere). Hummingbirds are true hoverers; they can remain suspended in air for as long as they wish. They remain stationary by beating their wings in a more or less figure-eight pattern.

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The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2007 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit.




American Kestrel

Galen Township Wayne County, New York


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American Sparrow Hawk Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes