By Alice Martin

Friends of a Feather

In the next couple of weeks, you may see a bird on a power line or post, especially in open farmland, that looks like a mourning dove or an American robin, but take a second look.  It might be an American Kestrel, the smallest of the falcons. 

The male Kestrel is one of the most colorful of all raptors with its slate blue head and wings, rusty-red back and tail, and a black tail band. Their cheeks and neck are white and the face features prominent vertical black stripes on each side of the face and directly below the eyes, commonly referred to as their “sideburns” and “mustache.”  The markings under the eyes reduce glare from sunlight and improve visual contrast when trying to spot prey, much like football players use eye black on their cheeks. The female Kestrel has the facial markings but is overall brown with bands of black on the wings and tail   

They may be small but the American Kestrel is a fierce predator.  From its high perch, it swoops down to pick up its prey.  They aren’t particularly fussy and eat insects including grasshoppers (being one of their favorite culinary delights), beetles, dragonflies and other large insects as well as mice, voles, lizards, frogs, earthworms, other birds like hummingbirds, spiders and practically any other prey.  Like I said, they’re not fussy eaters.  

When they spot prey on the ground, they will sometimes hover above it, facing into the wind while using their tail to keep them in place, before diving to the ground to pick up some unsuspecting critter.  Birds can see ultraviolet light which allows them to see an animal’s urine trials as it runs along the ground.  Those trails are blazing diner lights marking a good place to grab a bite. Kestrels hide surplus kills in grass clumps, tree roots, bushes, fence posts, tree limbs, and cavities, to save the food for lean times or to hide it from thieves.

The American Kestrel likes to nest in natural tree or woodpecker holes, crevices, and other cavities.  They will also nest in artificial nest boxes.  They can’t make their own excavations and loss of habitat has reduced their numbers.  They don’t build a nest bur rather lay their eggs on the bare bottom of the nesting cavity. They generally produce one or two broods of four or five eggs each season.  The eggs are incubated for 26 to 32 days and the nestlings leave the nest about a month later.  

When nature calls, nestling kestrels back up, raise their tails, and squirt feces onto the walls of the nest cavity. It helps keep the nestlings clean, but between the dried feces on the cavity wall and the uneaten parts of the small animals the parent birds bring to them, the next becomes a smelly place.  

Because the most common places to see the American Kestrel are on power lines and fence posts, we are most commonly in our car when we see one.  However, it sees you, too, and if you think you’re going to park nearby and get a good look at it, think again.  By the time you park  and retrieve your binoculars the Kestrel will have taken flight, made a big u-turn and landed 50 yards or more further down the line.  They’re notoriously skittish or maybe just shy, so good luck getting a close look.  

Hope we start to see the American Kestrels soon. 

Until next time, happy birding!