American Kestrel

Overview
American Kestrel: Smallest North American hawk, has two distinct black facial stripes, rust-brown tail and back, slate-blue wings, black-spotted underparts. Eats bats, rodents, insects, frogs, small reptiles, and birds. Alternates several rapid wing beats with glides, also hovers. Soars on thermals.

Range and Habitat
American Kestrel: Breeds from Northwest Territories and Alaska east through Maritime Provinces and south throughout most of the continent. Usually winters north to British Columbia, Great Lakes, and New England. Preferred habitats include towns, cities, parks, farmlands, and open country.

The American Kestrel can be found in many countries throughout North American and Central America. It has also been spotted in various other countries around the world as well. The range of this species is around 25 million square kilometers. There is not currently any concern that the global population of the American Kestrel will face serious decline as the population is thought to include around 4 million individual birds. At this time, the American Kestrel has an evaluation of Least Concern. This evaluation rating is downgraded from a previous Lower Risk rating.

INTERESTING FACTS
The American Kestrel is the most common falcon in North America. Nestlings squirt their feces onto the walls of the nest cavity. The feces dry on the cavity walls and stay off the nestlings. The females arrive first on their winter range and establish their territories in the preferred open areas. The males, arriving later are forced to use areas with more trees. A group of kestrels are collectively known as a " flight", " hover", and "soar" of kestrels.