American Kestrel - Falco sparverius

Description

• Rusty tail and back
• Females have rust colored wings, while males have slate-blue colored wings
• 15 sub-species.

Size

• Length: 9-12" (23-30 cm)
• Wingspan: 21" (.5 m)

Range

• Farmland, deserts, towns, cities, and open country
• Close to the tree line in Alaska and Canada, south to Tierra del Fuego

Diet

• Mostly insects and small rodents
• Occasionally, especially during winter, small songbirds such as sparrows and starlings

Voice

• "Klee-klee-klee-klee-klee-klee"

Nesting

• Natural or man-made crevices such as abandoned woodpecker nests and bird houses
• Lay 4-5 white eggs spotted brown
• Eggs incubate for 29-30 days tended by both parents
• Fledgelings leave the nest at 30-31 days after hatching

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