American Kestrel - Ross Feldner

This small member of the falcon family has a very distinctive, elegant look. Roughly the size of a Mourning Dove they are fierce hunters who prefer to grab their victim from the ground but will also nab them on the wing.

You will usually see them perched on wires or rapidly beating their wings, hovering over an open field searching for prey. Kestrels are cavity nesters often using dead tree snags as nesting sites. They will also use nesting boxes.

Unfortunately American Kestrels are vanishing in much of the United States. While some raptor species like Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons have rebounded since the banning of DDT, American Kestrel numbers have continued to drop at an alarming rate that so far has scientists baffled. Their population is down 50% since the 1970s!

If you’re feeling industrious click here for free Kestrel birdhouse plans to help stabilize their population.