Falco sparverius
Table of Contents
Common Name: American Kestrel
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: Animalia |
| Phylum: Chordata |
| Class: Aves |
| Order: Falconiformes |
| Family: Falconidae |
| Genus: Falco |
| Species: Falco sparverius |
Conservation Status
Identifying Features
American kestrels are small birds of prey, with a 9" long body and 22" long wingspan.
They are orange, cream, and blue-gray in color and have black bands on their face.
Habitat & Range
Kestrels live in meadows and fields.
Their year round range includes New York State and much of the lower 48 states. Their breeding range reaches across the northern parts of the Midwest and into Canada and Alaska. There are also populations in Central America and the northern parts of South America.
Behavior
American kestrels eat insects and small mammals. Their voice is a high “killy, killy.”
Featured image by Mike Baird.
Related
Accipiter striatus
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Agelaius phoeniceus
Red-winged Blackbird
Aix sponsa
Wood Duck