PHYSICAL The kestrel may be recognized in any plumage by its rust-colored tail and back- Adult males have pale blue-gray wings, while females' wings are rusty.
RANGE Kestrels can be found throughout the United States. They winter from British Columbia, Illinois, and New England southward.
FEEDING In the countryside, kestrels eat insects, small birds, lizards, and rodents, capturing their prey on the ground rather than in the air like other falcons.
HABITAT Kestrels may be found in towns and cities, parks, and farmlands as well as open country.
REPRODUCTION Female kestrels lay four to five brown-spotted white eggs in natural or man-made cavities, without a nest or lining. Females do most of the incubating and are fed by the males. Young kestrels stay with the adults for a time after fledging.
The Well-Adapted Kestrel
There are more than 60 species of falcons, family Falconidae in the order Falconiformes, in the world. These birds typically have bullet-shaped bodies; long wings and tails; long toes with sharp, hooked claws; short necks; and short, hooked, usually notched bills. Falcons range in size from 6 to 25 inches in length and weigh up to 4 pounds. Coloration varies widely among species, but the sexes of one species are usually similar in appearance, with the females being larger than the males.
Falcons are among the fastest, strongest flying birds with the greatest aerial ability. They usually inhabit open country, and the birds they prey on, they pursue on the wing. Their speed and agility also make falcons successful hunters of birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Some falcons are even insectivorous or eaters of carrion. Although falcons strike or grasp prey with their sharp claws, the birds generally kill captured prey with their beaks.
Usually, falcons are solitary or live in pairs. They do not build their own nests, but instead they utilize other birds' nests or lay eggs in hollow trees or tree holes, on cliffs, or on the ground. A falcon's life cycle includes four distinct periods and starts with the nestling period, beginning at hatching and continuing through first flight. During this period, the falcon grows rapidly and gains all its feathers. Period two is the fledgling, during which the parents hunt food for the young bird. When a falcon leaves the nest to be on its own, it enters period three, the juvenile period. This period lasts until the falcon reaches sexual maturity and can be considered an adult, period four. Falcons rarely live more than 20 years.
Kestrels were formerly known as sparrow hawks, but the name is not really appropriate because the birds feed primarily on lizards and insects. Kestrels are a type of falcon, Falco sparverius, that may be recognized in any plumage by their rust-colored tails and backs. Adult males have pale blue-gray wings, while females' wings are rusty. The wings are long and pointed, and the tail is long. The kestrel has two spots on the back of its head, which from a distance, look like two eyes. It is theorized that the spots may help prevent attacks from the rear by other raptors because they create the illusion that the kestrel is facing the attacker and would not be taken by surprise. Kestrels are jay-sized and are often seen hovering. The voice of a kestrel sounds like a shrill killy-killy-killy.
Kestrels can be found throughout the United States. They winter from British Columbia, Illinois, and New England southward. They feed primarily on house sparrows, and in the countryside, kestrels eat insects, small birds, and rodents. One difference in kestrels and other falcons is that kestrels capture their prey on the ground rather than in the air.
Unlike larger falcons, kestrels have adapted to man and nest in large cities and parks as well as farmlands and open country. Kestrels seem to take a particular liking to perching on telephone poles and telephone wires. They require a high perch for spotting their prey.
Female kestrels lay four to five brown-spotted white eggs and do most of the incubating. Like other falcons, kestrels do not build their own nests, they lay the eggs in natural or man-made cavities. Males feed the females. As the male nears the nest with food, he calls, and the female flies to him and receives the food away from the nest. After the eggs hatch, the males continue to bring most of the food. Young kestrels stay with adults for a time after fledging.
