Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 8.7–12.2 in
22–31 cm - Wingspan
- 20.1–24 in
51–61 cm - Weight
- 2.8–5.8 oz
80–165 g
Other Names
- Crécerelle d'Amérique (French)
- Cernícalo chitero (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Although hover-hunting is conspicuous, this foraging method actually is used rather infrequently. It is used most often when suitable perches are not available, or when winds are strong enough to create updrafts favorable to hovering.
- In winter in many southern parts of the range, female and male American Kestrels use different habitats. The female uses the preferred more open habitat, and the male uses areas with more trees. This situation appears to be the result of the females migrating south first and establishing winter territories. The males then are forced into the less preferred areas.
- Nestling kestrels back up, raise their tails, and squirt feces onto the walls of the nest cavity. The feces dry on the cavity walls and stay off the nestlings. The nest gets to be a smelly place, with feces on the walls and uneaten parts of small animals on the floor.
Habitat
Open Woodland
Breeds in a variety of open habitats, including meadows, grasslands, deserts, parkland, agricultural fields, urban and suburban areas.
Food
Insects
Large insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–7 eggs
- Egg Description
- White to yellowish with scattered small dark spots.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with sparse white down.
Nest Description
Nests in cavities in trees, in buildings, and in nest boxes. No material added to nest hole.
Nest Placement
Cavity
Behavior
Hovering
Watches for prey from tall perches, such as trees and telephone poles. Also hovers and drops on prey.
Conservation
Least Concern
Increased greatly with historical deforestation of North America. No significant trend across North America, but some local increases and decreases.
Credits
- Smallwood, J. A., and D. M. Bird. 2002. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). In The Birds of North America, No. 602 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.