Skip to main content

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius
The American Kestrel (another suggestion from a reader, yay!) is the smallest Falcon in North America. For a comparison to other Birds of Prey, their maximum body length is around half that of a Red-Tailed Hawk, and less than 1/3 the length of a Bald Eagle. Unfortunately, their small size means that they can become prey for these larger cousins, as well for other large birds like Crows and Ravens.

American Kestrels live in both North and South America. Some populations live year round (in the warmer climates) while others migrate seasonally. They prefer to live in open grassland areas that have a sparse smattering of trees. They've also taken to man made habitats as well, and can be seen in suburbs and around sports stadiums. (The bright lights attract the insects that the Kestrels love to munch on!)

Interestingly, another name for the American Kestrel is the Sparrow-Hawk. But they don't really eat too many Sparrows. It is true that they will occasionally feed on smaller birds, small mammals, and reptiles, but they mainly dine on invertebrates.

When it comes time to nest, American Kestrels settle down in preexisting tree holes and cavities. The females select their mates, and the pair will remain monogamous through that season. 2-4 chicks are born at a time, and they leave the nest when they are a month old, though the family unit may remain together for a bit longer.

American Kestrels are listed as being of Least Concern, as they have a very wide range and high population. They are believed to be the most abundant Falcon in North America, with the population well over 1 million birds.

IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North and South America
Size : Body Length around 12in (30cm), Wingspan up to 24in (60cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Falconiformes
Family : Falconidae -- Genus : Falco -- Species : F. sparverius

Comments

  1. This bird is so pretty. Have you done a Fish Eagle which has the finest call of all the South African Eagles? Amazing to listen to two of them calling. Diane

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent