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American kestrel Photo by Wendy Perrone
Falco sparverius

Hear the Kestrel's call

AKA: Sparrow hawk, grasshopper hawk, killey hawk, windhover

SIZE: 9 to 12 inches

WINGSPAN: 20 to 24 inches

FLIGHT SPEED: 22 to 39 MPH

FEEDING HABITS: Insects are its primary food in summer. Will also eat bats, mice, lizards, frogs, and small snakes. Has the capacity to survive without drinking water by obtaining all needed moisture from the food it eats.

IDENTIFICATION: Colorful bird. Reddish brown back with streaking on lower back and tail. Male has blue-grey wings and black band on tip of tail, whereas female has dark brown bars on tail. Male has translucent dots on trailing edge of wings. Both have characteristic white cheeks with black mustache stripe.

Male & Female
				Leucistic kestrel
			Seven photos of fledgling kestrels by Todd Alitz