American sparrowhawk, Antillean sparrow hawk, Cuban sparrow hawk, Florida sparrow hawk, Guatemalan sparrow hawk, Hispaniolan sparrow hawk, San Lucas sparrow hawk, Sparrow hawk
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest and most common falcon in North America. It is a common bird used in falconry, especially by beginners. Though not as strong a flyer as many other, larger falcons, proper training and weight control by the falconer allows many American kestrels to become effective hunters of birds in the size range of sparrows and starlings, with occasional success against birds up to approximately twice their own weight.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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Ambush predatorAmbush predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey by stealth, luring, or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an elemen...
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Pursuit predatorPursuit predation is a form of predation in which predators actively give chase to their prey, either solitarily or as a group. Pursuit predators r...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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GlidingGliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust and is employed by gliding animals. Birds in particular use gliding flight to m...
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PollinatorA pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilizat...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
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MigratingAnimal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
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starts withIn contrast to many other raptors, the males and the females of this species differ more in plumage than in size. Males have blue-grey wings with black spots and white undersides with black barring. Their back is rufous, with barring on the lower half. The belly and flanks are white with black spotting. The tail is also rufous, with a white or rufous tip and a black subterminal band. The back and wings of the female American kestrel are rufous with dark brown barring. The undersides of the females are creamy to buff with heavy brown streaking. Their tail is rufous in color with numerous narrow dark black bars.
The breeding range of American kestrels extends from central and western Alaska across northern Canada to Nova Scotia, and south throughout North America, into central Mexico and the Caribbean. They are local breeders in Central America and are widely distributed throughout South America. Most birds breeding in Canada and the northern United States migrate south in the winter, sometimes going as far as Central America and the Caribbean. American kestrels are found in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, meadows, deserts, and other open to semi-open regions. They can also be found in both urban and suburban areas. Their habitat must include perches, open space for hunting, and cavities for nesting.
Outside of the breeding season, American kestrels spend their time singly. They usually hunt by day in an energy-conserving fashion; they perch and scan the ground for prey to ambush or may also hunt from the air. They are often seen along roadsides or fields perched on objects such as trees, overhead power lines, or fence posts. They also hunt by kiting, hovering in the air with rapid wing beats, and scanning the ground for prey. Other hunting techniques include a low flight over fields or chasing insects and birds in the air. Prey is most often caught on the ground, though occasionally they take birds in flight. Before striking, the kestrel characteristically bobs its head and tail, then makes a direct flight toward the prey to grab it in its talons. American kestrels communicate with the help of three basic vocalizations - the "klee" or "killy", the "whine", and the "chitter". The "klee" is usually delivered as a rapid series - klee, klee, klee, klee when the kestrel is upset or excited. This call is used in a wide variety of situations and is heard from both sexes. The "whine" call is primarily associated with feeding. The "chitter" is used in courtship feeding, mating, and feeding of nestlings.
American kestrels are carnivores and feed largely on small animals such as grasshoppers, dragonflies, lizards, mice, voles, and small birds. They may also hunt snakes, bats, and squirrels.
American kestrels are monogamous and form strong long-lasting pair bonds. In migratory populations, the males arrive at the breeding ground before the females, then the female selects a mate. Males perform elaborate dive displays to advertise their territory and attract a mate. These displays consist of several climbs and dives, with three or four "klee" calls at their peaks. Pairs usually use previous nesting sites in consecutive years. American kestrels are cavity nesters, but they are able to adapt to a wide variety of nesting situations. They generally prefer natural cavities (such as in trees) but will also nest in holes created by large woodpeckers, or use the abandoned nests of other birds. They may even nest on cliff ledges and building tops, or utilize nesting boxes. The female lays 3 to 7 eggs which are white to cream in color with brown or grey splotching. Incubation usually lasts 30 days and is mainly done by the female. Hatchlings are altricial (helpless) and are only able to sit up after 5 days. They grow very quickly, reaching an adult weight after 16-17 days. After 28-31 days, they are able to leave the nest and depend on their parents for another 2 or 3 weeks. American kestrels usually reach reproductive maturity and may breed from a year old.
The main threat to American kestrels is habitat loss as a result of longleaf pines being cleared from agricultural fields. They also suffer from competition with other birds for nest sites, from hunting and trapping, road collisions, and predation by other raptors.
According to the All About Birds resource the total population size of the American kestrel is around 9.2 million individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.