The American Kestrel is a small, familiar falcon of open country, with a wide distribution across North America. It is one of our smallest hawks, with pronounced plumage differences between males and females. Immature kestrels are unique among North American birds of prey in having different male and female plumages. The kestrel is often seen perched atop power poles or hydro lines. It is a graceful flier, and commonly hovers in one spot, examining the ground below for insect or rodent prey. When perched, it commonly bobs its tail up and down.
Both sexes are quite colorful. The male has slate blue wings, a reddish-brown back sparsely barred with black, a white face marked with a heavy black bar below the eye and another behind the cheek, white to buffy orange (mostly in adult male) underparts sparsely marked with black spots and a reddish-brown tail with a wide black subterminal band. The female has reddish-brown wings, barred with black like her back, and a reddish-brown tail banded with black. Her pale underparts are streaked with brown. Both birds are slightly larger than robins or about the size of a jay.
SIZE
The American Kestrel is the smallest North American falcon and one of the smallest hawks on the continent. Females are slightly larger than males. Lengths average 10 inches (25 centimeters) for females and nine inches (24 centimeters) for males. Wingspans average 22 inches (57 centimeters) for females and 21 inches (55 centimeters) for males. Weights average 0.3 pounds (120 grams) for females and 0.2 pounds (111 grams) for males.
MORPHS
There are no morphs. The female and male differ in plumage and are easily told apart. Albinism is rare.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
Adult Male - Flight
- long pointed wings; often hovers
- reddish or rufous back with blue wings
- underwings appear pale with bright white spots along trailing edge of primaries
- reddish-brown tail with wide dark band near white tip
- two moustache stripes
Adult Female - Flight
- long pointed or "sickle-shaped" wings; often hovers
- uniformly reddish-brown above with dark spotting
- similar to male but has reddish-brown tail with many narrow dark bands; subterminal, or last band, often widest
- rusty brown streaked underparts
- rusty-brown back barred with black
- lacks the bright white spots on trailing edge of primary feathers
- two mustache stripes
Immature Male - Flight
- similar to adult male but breast and immediate below with short blackish streaks
- upper back to nape with numerous dark bars
Immature Female - Flight
- like adult female
- bar near tip of tail not well defined like in adult female
SIMILAR SPECIES
The American Kestrel could be confused with three other hawks. The Merlin is also a small falcon but both sexes have narrow pale bands on a dark tail and lacks the light spots on the trailing edge of the male kestrel's underwing. The female kestrel is much rustier in color than a Merlin. The Black-shouldered Kite also frequents open country but is whitish with large black patches at the bend of the underwing. The Peregrine Falcon is a much larger falcon. The adult Peregrine is slate blue-gray with no rufous on the head or back. Its chest is white or light buffy, with a barred belly and a dark tail with non-contrasting pale thin bands. The immature Peregrine Falcon is heavily streaked below, has darker underwings and a darker tail. It lacks any hint of rust or rufous.
OTHER NAMES
The American Kestrel was formerly known as "Sparrow Hawk." It has also been called the "Desert Sparrow Hawk", "Eastern Sparrow Hawk", "Little Kestrel", "Little Sparrow Hawk", and "wind hover" which is a common folk name for the related Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).
ETYMOLOGY
The scientific name Falco sparverius translates into "sickle" (Latin = falx) and "pertaining to a sparrow" (Latin = sparverius). The "sickle" refers to this species' typically falcon-shaped wings, beak, and talons. The "sparrow" reference is to the bird's former common name, "Sparrow Hawk. "
MYTHOLOGY
Although no mythology has been recorded, the American Kestrel was probably kept as a pet by some Indian tribes including the Paiutes. American Kestrel remains have often been discovered in the sacred burial bundles of Plains Indians.
