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Henry Sowell

Vol. I · Est. 2026

Pl. CXLVIII
Field-journal plate: American Kestrel
The American Kestrel plate as rendered on the e-ink frame
As rendered on the frame

The Birds · Plate CXLVIII

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Falconidae · Taxon 4665

LengthBoth sexes: 22–31 cm (8.7–12.2 in)
WingspanBoth sexes: 51–61 cm (20.1–24.0 in)
WeightBoth sexes: 80–165 g (2.8–5.8 oz)

Field marks

  1. Two bold black vertical slashes on each side of the pale face
  2. Small hooked dark bill, large dark eyes, and yellow-orange cere
  3. Rusty back and tail with a dark band near the tail tip
  4. Adult male has a slate-blue crown and wings; female has reddish-brown, dark-barred wings
  5. Long pointed wings and a long, square-tipped tail
  6. Yellow-orange legs and feet with dark talons

HabitatOpen and semi-open landscapes with short vegetation, scattered trees or raised perches, and available nesting cavities, including grasslands, meadows, deserts, farmland, forest clearings, parks, and other developed areas.

BehaviorA diurnal hunter that watches from raised perches or hovers over open ground, then swoops or pounces on prey; it also catches insects and small vertebrates in flight. Flight combines rapid wingbeats with short glides, and perched birds often pump their tails. It nests in existing cavities rather than excavating its own.

Palette

rusty brownslate bluecream whitecharcoal blackyellow-orange