In America, members of the Buteo group are also called hawks, though these are referred to as buzzards in other parts of the world. Within this family is Accipitrinae, which includes goshawks, true sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, etc. Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. While further north, American kestrels will be present in summer and migrate south in winter. They need open spaces for hunting, perches, and cavities for nesting but can cope with very diverse conditions, from Northern Canada and Alaska all the way south to Tierra del Fuego.īirds breeding south of about 35° north latitude typically remain year-round residents. Where American Kestrels are FoundĪmerican kestrels are found in many habitats, including grasslands, meadows, deserts, and urban and suburban areas. This noise is made repeatedly when the kestrel is upset or excited. There are three key noises – the ‘klee’ or ‘killy’ call gives this bird one of its common names. VocalizationĪmerican kestrels can also be identified by their vocalizations. Two black spots, believed to function like false eyes, are found on each side of the white or orangish nape. Their tails differ from the males and are rufous with many black bars.īoth males and females have white heads with a bluish-gray top and two narrow vertical facial markings on each side of the head. The females have rufous backs and wings with dark brown barring, and are creamy to buff-colored underneath with heavy brown streaking. They have rufous backs with barring on the lower half, white flanks and belly with black spotting, and rufous tails with a black subterminal band. Males have blue-gray wings with black spots, white on the underside with black barring. Though small, they are strong – able to take birds even as large as they are – or even occasionally larger. This, along with their relatively light weight, allows them to spend a long time on the wing, chasing and hunting their prey. Their wings are long and quite narrow, tapering to a point. Their flight muscles take up only 12% of their body weight, compared with roughly 20% for larger falcons like the peregrine. The birds range between 22 and 31 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of between 51 and 61 centimeters.Īmerican kestrels are leaner and less muscular than larger falcons. Though the size difference between the males and females is less pronounced than in larger falcons, females tend to be around 10-15% larger. The females are moderately larger than the males, showing sexual dimorphism in both size and plumage. The kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America, varying in size (depending on the specific subspecies) from around the weight of a blue jay to the weight of a mourning dove. However, there are some general things to look for when trying to identify an American kestrel: Size Though these subspecies have much in common, there are differences based on plumage, size, and the vocalizations each makes. It is also essential to understand that there is not one American kestrel but seventeen different subspecies of this type of bird found throughout the Americas. So while all American kestrels are falcons, not all falcons are American kestrels. Of course, plenty of other birds within the Falco genus also exist. So, though the name has stuck (at least for now), kestrels are actually falcons. The kestrel is more closely related to the larger American falcons like the aplomado, peregrine, and prairie falcons than to true kestrels. What is the difference between a kestrel and a falcon? The bird was officially renamed “American kestrel” in the sixth edition of the AOU Checklist of North American Birds. The common name of sparrow hawk arose from a mistaken belief that this bird was related to the Eurasian sparrowhawk – of the Accipiter genus. Though it is also known by many as the sparrow hawk, it is not a hawk but rather a falcon – the smallest and most common falcon in North America. It has also been mistaken for a sparrow hawk, a grasshopper hawk, and a killy hawk.ĭNA evidence placing this bird more accurately within the Falco genus means that the name kestrel may change in the future as scientists find out more about the evolutionary history of these birds. The American kestrel, Falco sparverius, is a fascinating bird.
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