“Fine feathers make fine birds. Let not him that fears feathers come among wild-foule.”
For more photographs of the american kestrel, see my Kestrel Photo Gallery.
These beautifully coloured small birds of prey fly with shallow and fast wing beats and seldom glide through the air. They hunt for prey from a lookout point or 'prey' bij hanging in a stationary position in the air. They are terretorial and will aggressively attack other birds of prey entering their feeding or breeding area, even their own species. American kestrels do not make or build their own nests and are not very particular about a brooding place and will use other birds empty or abandoned nests instead. They will nest in tall buildings, cavities in cliffs and trees. Four to six eggs are layed between April and May. The female broods the eggs and incubation takes 26 to 31 days.
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Put the mouse on the speaker symbol to play the kestrel sound. This sound file is of a group of three young American Kestrels asking for food. Once the mother kestrel realizes I am recording them she lets out a warning chirp to the youngsters.
For actual and most updated information on the American kestrel.