Falco kestrels are tiny and thin falcons. They’re noted for their unusual appearance, hunting habits, and sounds. This page discusses the kestrel’s appearance, habitat, behavior, adaptations, and 21 key facts about kestrels.
Summary 21 key facts about kestrels
Kestrels defend only a small territory immediately around the nest. The larger home range where the birds find most of their food is often partly shared with neighboring pairs.
- Family: Falconidae
- Genus: Falco
- Number of species: 12
- Size: 23–34 cm in length
- Weight: 110-280 grams
- Wingspan: 52-75 cm
- Distinctive feature: Hovering flight
- Habitat: Open grasslands, farmland, woodlands
- Diet: Small rodents, insects, and birds
- Hunting technique: Hovering, then stooping on prey
- Vision: Exceptional, with binocular vision
- Hearing: Excellent, allowing them to locate prey by sound
- Nesting habits: Nest in cavities or on platforms
- Clutch size: 3-5 eggs
- Incubation period: 28–32 days
- Nestling period: 30-35 days
- Conservation status: Least Concern
- Migration patterns: Some populations migrate, while others are resident
- Lifespan: 8–15 years in the wild
- Symbolism: Associated with fearlessness, speed, and precision
- smallest falcon in North America: American Kestrel
Appearance and Size
The smallest falcon in North America is the American kestrel. Their small, bullet-like head is black and white with moustache-like side patterns. Male kestrels are blue-gray and females brown, with narrow, pointed wings. The bird’s back is reddish brown.
Size
- Wingspan: 20–25 inches (50–63 cm)
- Weight: male: 3.5–4 ounces (99–113 grams), female: 4.25 ounces (120 grams).
Coloration
- Males: Have a rusty back, blue wings, and a rusty-colored tail with a black terminal band.
- Females: Have rusty wings, back, and tail, all marked with black barring. Both sexes have a dark vertical line running through the eye with white cheek and chin patches. The top of their heads is blue with a rusty cap, usually brighter in males than females.
Habitat
Kestrels live in various open and semi-open settings, including grasslands, meadows, deserts, farming, and cities. They need perches for hunting, wide places to see prey and cavities for breeding, whether natural or manmade. Kestrels may flourish in various environments, including the Arctic and the tropics.
Range
American Kestrel: Found throughout the United States and into Canada. Some northern populations migrate south for the winter, while others are year-round residents.
Common Kestrel: Occurs over a large range and in Britain, where it is generally just called “kestrel.”.
Behavior
Kestrels are diurnal and make several noises, notably the “klee-klee-klee” sound. They are skilled predators who utilize their sharp eyesight and hovering flight to catch rodents, insects, and small birds. Opportunist kestrels eat reptiles, amphibians, and carrion.
Hunting and Feeding
Hunting Methods: Kestrels have different hunting tactics. One strategy is to strike a perched bird with a straight, high-speed approach, then pursue the bird in full flight if that fails. Another strategy is to “hover” over the prey while facing the wind and fiercely beating its wings. When the bird is ready to seize its prey, it folds its wings and swoops down to capture it in its talons. Kestrels also spend time perched high above fields or roadways, looking for prey.
Prey: Kestrels hunt mostly mice and large insects, but will also take bats, small snakes, frogs, earthworms, and birds. In the summer, they feed on insects that they catch either on the ground or in the air. In winter, they feed primarily on rodents and birds.
Vocalizations
Calls: Kestrels have a range of vocalizations, including a high-pitched “klee-klee-klee” or “killy-killy-killy” sound, which is often described as a cat-like call. They also use a whine call during feeding and copulation, and a chitter call during interactions between males and females. Females have lower-pitched calls than males. Nestlings can make calls similar to adults at 16 days of age.
Breeding and Nesting
Kestrels are cavity nesters, using natural holes in trees, cliffs, or abandoned nests of other birds. They readily adapt to human-made structures like buildings and nest boxes. Females lay 4-5 eggs, which hatch after 4 weeks. Chicks fledge at 5 weeks but remain dependent on their parents for some time. Kestrels mate by sexual reproduction and are monogamous, forming long-lasting pair bonds.
Nesting
- Nesting Sites: Kestrels use holes in trees, artificial nest boxes, or small spaces in buildings. Both males and females incubate the eggs, which hatch about 30 days after being laid. Three to five young kestrel birds are often hatched. They grow very quickly, assuming adult weight in about two and a half weeks and fledging about a month after hatching.
Breeding Season: Kestrels start breeding in April or May in temperate Eurasia and between August and December in the tropics and southern Africa. They are very vocal during the breeding season, with males using their shrill “klee-klee-klee” call.
Special Adaptations
Kestrels have great eyesight, which they rely on to be an effective diurnal predator. They utilize their strong talons to grab and kill prey and have a curved, pointed beak used to rip apart prey into smaller pieces. Although tiny, kestrels show loud and aggressive behavior against other raptors to guard their territory.
Flight
- Hovering: Famous for their ability to hover in mid-air, kestrels depend on wind currents to stay in place and forage for food. Special to kestrels and other birds of prey, this activity is termed “windhovering”.
- Flight Speed: Kestrels can fly at speeds up to 39 mph (63 km/h).
Predators and Threats
Kestrels confront several predators and hazards in their native environments. Larger birds of prey, such as hawks, owls, and goshawks, hunt kestrels. Snakes, fire ants, and invasive species such as cats all pose risks to kestrels and their eggs. Human activities such as habitat deterioration, pesticide usage, and rodenticides may cause poisons to accumulate in kestrels, putting them in danger.
Conservation Status
American Kestrel: Although the kestrel is not legally protected in this region, studies have shown that the population has seen worrisome long-term decreases over most of its range in North America, including Minnesota. The Peregrine Fund founded the American Kestrel Partnership to monitor numbers and do research on their decrease.
Common Kestrel: The common kestrel has a total population of around 4,300,000–6,700,000 adult individuals. The European population consists of 411,000–631,000 pairs, or 823,000–1,270,000 adult people. The IUCN Red List now classifies this species as Least Concern (LC), however, its populations are falling.
key facts about kestrels
Falcons as “Race Cars”: Falcons are like raptors’ racing cars. American kestrels can reach speeds of up to 39 mph, whereas Peregrine Falcons can fly horizontally at 55 mph and have been recorded at over 200 mph during dives.
Kestrel Lifespan: In the wild, the typical lifetime is around 5 years, although they may survive for 16 years or more. The oldest known wild kestrel lived approximately 24 years. Kestrels in captivity may live for up to 17 years.
Mate for the life of a kestrel bird:
Kestrels are generally monogamous and tend to mate for life, though they will find a new partner if their original mate dies. Pairs often return to the same nesting site year after year. Both the male and female kestrels participate in courtship rituals, nest building, and caring for the young.
Kestrels are highly territorial
Kestrels are very territorial and will actively protect their breeding and hunting territory against other kestrels and any predators. They employ a variety of vocalizations, aerial displays, and physical conflicts to mark and defend their territory. This behavior promotes access to crucial resources for breeding and survival.
Kestrels are skilled hunters
Kestrels are skilled hunters who use their extraordinary vision and unique hovering flying to find and pounce on small prey such as mice, insects, and birds. They are opportunistic feeders, feeding on reptiles, amphibians, and even carrion. Kestrels hunt all day to suit their nutritional needs since they are diurnal.
Kestrels are widely distributed across North America
Kestrels are found across North America, Europe, and portions of Asia and Africa. In North America, the American kestrel is the most frequent and widespread falcon. Kestrels are versatile birds that may live in a range of environments, from rural to urban, as long as there are acceptable nesting places and prey.
The kestrel’s call is often described as a high-pitched, cat-like “klee-klee-klee” or “killy-killy-killy” sound.
The kestrel’s call is sometimes characterized as a high-pitched, feline-like “klee-klee-klee” or “killy-killy-killy” sound. The kestrel’s characteristic vocalization may be heard regularly as it hovers and dives when hunting or defending territory. The kestrel’s call is one method by which it communicates and advertises itself.
Where do kestrels sleep at night?
kestrels seek for enclosed, protected areas to sleep at night, with the precise roosting spot dependent on the surrounding ecology and availability of appropriate cavities. Their diminutive size lets them snuggle into narrow niches to roost comfortably during the night.
How can I attract kestrels to my backyard?
Kestrels also prefer habitats rich in small animals such as voles, mice, shrews, bats, and songbirds. The denseness of foliage not only provides hiding places for additional food, but it also helps kestrels to burrow down in bad weather or hide from stalking predators.
conclusion
Kestrels are wonderful birds with particular behaviors and adaptations that help them thrive in a variety of environments. They are a remarkable species to investigate and observe because of their unusual songs, ability to hover in midair, and monogamous breeding behaviors.
