In North America, it breeds from western and central Alaska, southern Yukon, western Mackenzie, northern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan, northern Manitoba, northern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland; south to Baja California, most of the Gulf Coast, and most of Florida.
It is present year-round within its breeding range from southern British Columbia, Washington, southern Idaho, most of Wyoming, northeastern Colorado, northwestern Kansas, Nebraska, northwestern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, southern Michigan, and southern Ontario to western Maine and south through most of the southern United States. It winters along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana and southern peninsular Florida.
There are 14 recognized subspecies of this falcon, two of which occur in North America. These are F. s. sparverius which breeds over much of North America, and F.s. paulus which breeds from northeastern Texas across southern Louisianna, southern Mississippi, most of Florida, to South Carolina.
The American Kestrel is also resident on the Bahamas and Antilles and locally in the Central American highlands including eastern Honduras and northeastern Nicaragua. It is widespread in South America.
MIGRATION
The American Kestrel leaves its northern South American and Central American wintering areas in February, and its wintering areas in the southern states from mid February (California) through April (Florida). It departs wintering areas in southern Canada in April.
Postbreeding adults and fledglings disperse from their nesting areas in northern United States and Canada in July. Local concentrations occur within the general breeding range where food is plentiful.
Autumn migrants move through Canada and the northern United States from late August to mid November with the bulk passing in September. Birds wintering in southern Central America to Panama arrive beginning in mid October.
Females tend to migrate earlier than males, at least in eastern North America, though there is overlap. The situation in western North America is not known. The American Kestrel makes over-water crossings and occasionally feed en route on the wing on small birds.
#Which species has this range?;question\Q12\Q12.wav
