American Kestrels

[BlueTiercel]

This thread shall be used to discuss American Kestrels fool!

[rt]

The american kestrel is our smallest falcon in the usa it prefers open fields where it can feed on prey iteams such as insects,mice,and small birds. Kestrels have a high metabolism and require strict detail in weight control. They can be trained to hunt starlings,house sparrows,boat tailed grackles,black birds, and if your lucky doves. Car hawking is the most common form of hawking this bird. Car hawking is simply driving down the road untill you find a decent slip and then allowing your k bird to fly from the window and bind to it. Prey can also be taken by roost hawking and from a high perch. Success with this raptor is high as long as you can provide close slips Iam not saying prey iteams cannot be taken on long tail chases but they are usally in vain. Kestrels prefer to use something as cover as they come in for a kill example bush or fence then they basically power up and shoot right up the tail pipes of a bird caught off guard. It was once believed that they ate mostly insects and rarely birds but we now know that the kestrel is an avid bird hunter more seen in the winter months. Kestrels kept as falconery birds need to be fed a quailty diet of whole mice or small birds they will not survive on the things you feed a rt there metabolism wont permit it. They are a neat little hunter over looked by most falconers. If you are interested in them I recomend matthew mullinex book it is a great book that will take you thru the steps of this tiny falcons trapping,selection,housing,equipment,training,hunting and more.

[SkyRider]

Scientific Name: Falco Sparverius
Order: Falco
Family: Falconidae
Stats: Weight: 3.2-6.4 oz Length: 9-12 in. Wingspan: 20-24 in

Description: The American Kestrel is the smallest and most colorful of North American Falconifomes. Males have a rust back with some black bars, a rust tail and bluish-gray wings; females are brown, barred with black on black and tail, and buff with brownish streaks underneath. Kestrels, commonly called sparrow hawks, are unique in that they are the only North American falcon or hawk to nest in cavities--not only in natural cavities and woodpecker holes but in the eaves of buildings and barns and in nest boxes as well.

Range/Habitat: They breed from Alaska and Northwest Territories east through the Maritime Provinces and south throughout the continent. Winters north to British Columbia, Great Lakes, ad New England. Also into American tropics. Habitat is mostly farmland, suburban and urban areas.

Adaptations: Kestrels typically hunt from a conspicuous perch or hover like miniature helicopters. The flight is buoyant, graceful and rapid, quite-like a large swallow.

Courtship/Gestation/Birth: Nesting usually begins in mid-March, and a clutch of four to six eggs is laid in early April. The female does most of the incubating for 28 to 30 days, while the male hunts for her. Young kestrels fledge from the nest after 28 to 30 days.

Diet: Mammals including bats, mice, shrews, rats, gophers, young ground squirrels and young cottontails (70%); birds, mainly house sparrows (10%); invertebrates including worms, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, dragonflies and butterflies (20%); reptiles and amphibians (1%).

Hope this helps!!

SkyRider

[Weasel]

Young cottontails? Like how young? as they fall out of the mother? A kestrel on a CT....THAT I would have to see.........

[Ooby]

HAHA i thought the EXACT same thing, and even nearly replied, but i've seen some young cotton tails running around and a few caught by a friends harris that a kestrel could probably handle.

It would be a rare meal, but not impossible.

[SkyRider]

It'd be an interesting ride for the Kestrel. And one scary one for the falconer.

[BlueTiercel]

Funny thing. I was watching a tiercel the other day and threw some night crawlers out of my window and i am sure he saw them but didnt make a move even after i drove off. Figured he wasn't hungry. Afer this a whole flock of starlings landed all around him. WHAT GALL!! The only kestrel i have seen go after birds was actually going after fledglings and soon to fledge barn swallows. this winter my buddy saw a tiercel hawking starlings though...They are obviously capable but definatly prefer mice over a fiesty flock of starlings.

[Austin]

Night crawlers have a larva inside of them, if a raptor eats and digest the earthworm the bird will develope capallaria worms in the crop. I think I spelled that right!
Also if youg hawks catch any small birds which eat earthworms they can also get the crop worms from them as well.

[BlueTiercel]

Hmmm..good to know. I had no idea. Thanks. I knew that they preferred mice and such but since all i could get my hands on at the moment were nightcrawlers i thought they might grab one. Good thing that little tiercel new better.

[kenbro77]

Found this cool pic of an American Kestrel.

[Minca]

ooh! I like it! He looks all ready to kick butt and take names!!!

[SkyRider]

Doubt he'll get many names

That's a neat rust color on his breast though.

[demarest]

just curious: is any body out there a Master and still flying kestrels?

[frootdog]

I know at least one master that flew a kestrel and several general that are. What's the difference? they are a good game hawk that needs some special training esp. in the anti carrying area.

[f3tti]

so anyone know how long they live? captivity preferred, but any lifespan would be nice...

got one at work that was acting funny, had blood work done, possible kidney failure- he's around 6yrs, i think, I'll have to get a taxon report to find out exactly when he came to the zoo...

oh ya- tiercel.

I've checked several bird books, raptor books, and falconry books- nothin'. I'm starting the website search...whee.

Thanks!
~Maria