Kestrel of America

The kestrel of America is most widespread of the Falconidé S in North America. The kestrel of America has the back and the tail russet-red-brown, of the pointed wings and a white chest with dark spots. It has also a thin black vertical spot under the eye.

Morphological characteristics

The kestrel of America is smallest of the falcons. It is a diurnal species .

Females

the female measures between 23 and 30 cm.
the weight of the female is of 120 G.
Its scale is from 57 to 61 cm.

Males

the male measures between 22,5 and 27 cm.
Its weight is of 111 G.
the scale of the male measures between 51 and 56 cm

Criteria of recognitions

For the female

The plumage of the female is duller. Its body is russet-red with black bands on the tail. The chest of the female has more stripes than that of the male which has the wings blue-gray. It resembles the male but its wings do not have a bluish color. The beginning of its nozzle and the turn of its orbits are yellow. The young people resemble the female.

For the male

One can recognize the male thanks to his striped red back of black lines, his gray and blue head, his black wings blue-gray, his facial marks, his russet-red tail with a black broad outline and his plumage covered with black spots.

Its song

The song of the kestrels of America is connected with the sound killy-killy-killy .

Characteristics with the flight

To locate its preys, it pole on a post on wire or in a tree. When she saw a prey, the kestrel flies often on the spot before plunging quickly on its victim. It can also plane lengthily above a precise place seeking of the eyes its prey. The kestrel of America planes thus especially when there is much wind. Under these conditions it does not lose much energy in the search of food. The kestrel of America does not catch its preys in flight, it generally takes them on the ground. It captures it in its greenhouses.

Food modes

It is an animal carnivorous Insectivore then . It consumes:

Insect S ex: Grasshopper S
Rodent S
Reptile S ex: Lizard S
Frog S
Small Bird X

Habitats

Its surface of distribution corresponds to the American continent. It is only found very seldom in Europe of the West.

The kestrels have a large variety of opened habitats, including the residential areas. They particularly affectionnent the discovered grounds, meadows, the fields cultivated or in waste land, and plains. Its territory of hunting recovers 142 hectares and its vital domain exceeds the 500 hectares.

Couplings and nesting

It is a species Ovipare. The female lays 4 to 5 eggs. They are rosy, chamois with small brown points. Like all falconidés, the kestrel of America does not build a nest. They nest in the old nests of magpies or crows, in anfractuosities of the walls, the trees or the rocks. The female broods eggs and leaves the nest only with the call of the male which brings back food to him. The period of nesting is spread out April at June. The kestrel of America lays 1 or 2 brooded per season from 4 to 5 eggs by brooded. Second brooded is rare and depends on the trophic conditions of the ecosystem.

Migration

The kestrels of America living with the Canada or in Alaska are able to migrate at the time of the bad season.

Use by the man

The kestrel of America was used for hunting. Currently the airports, such that of Montreal-Trudeau uses it in biological Lutte. These airports call upon the services of falconers to frighten the birds which disturb the landing and the takeoff of the planes when the populations of starling X for example are too high.

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