Falco sparverius

Description

The American kestrel is a small falcon with an orange and black striped back and a gray crown (top of the head) with a large orange circle in the center. The female has orange and black striped wings and tail and a light front with orange spots. She has a gray "mustache" and "sideburns." The male has gray-blue spotted wings, a black mask and "mustache," and an orange tail with a black tip. He has a light front with black spots.

Voice

The call of the American kestrel is a loud screeching "killy killy killy."

Breeding

March to September

Habitat

These birds like farms, cities, forest edges, and any open country where they can hunt.

Diet

American kestrels eat insects, small mammals (like mice), small birds, reptiles (like snakes), and amphibians (like frogs). These birds can hunt from the air or from a perch.

Range

You can find this bird in Canada and the northern United States (including VT and NH) during the summer and in the rest of the United States year-round.

Other Useful Information

These birds like to be alone.

Similar Species

The sharp-shinned hawk and the merlin look a little like the American kestrel, but they have brown or gray backs, not orange. The sharp-shinned hawk also has wings that are rounded, not pointed like the kestrel's.