American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is a common falcons and caracara found in 54 countries, weighing about 115 g. The American kestrel is the smallest and most common falcon in the Americas.
About the American Kestrel
The American kestrel is the smallest and most common falcon in the Americas. Though it has been called the American "sparrow hawk", this now obsolete vernacular name is a misnomer; the American kestrel is a true falcon, while neither the Eurasian sparrowhawk nor the other species called sparrowhawks are in the family Falconidae, hence only very distantly related to the American kestrel. It has a roughly two-to-one range in size over subspecies and sex, varying in size from about the weight of a blue jay to a mourning dove. It is a very successful species, occurring almost throughout North and South America except for the Arctic fringes of North America, and the densest tropical Amazon…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Under traditional terminology, the American kestrel is the smallest raptor in the Americas, though the South American spot-winged falconet is almost as small. The American kestrel is sexually dimorphic, although there is some overlap in plumage coloration between the sexes. The bird ranges from 22 to 31 cm (8.7 to 12.2 in) in length with a wingspan of 51–61 cm (20–24 in). The female kestrel is larger than the male, though less so than larger falcons, being typically about 10% to 15% larger within a subspecies. Voice: The American kestrel has three basic vocalizations – the "klee" or "killy", the "whine", and the "chitter". The "klee" is usually delivered as a rapid series – klee, klee, klee, klee when the kestrel is upset or excited. This call is used in a wide variety of situations and is heard from both sexes, but the larger females typically have lower-pitched voices than the males.
What the American Kestrel sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Spain, Belgium, United Kingdom, French Guiana.
When to see it
The American Kestrel can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Watch the American Kestrel on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an American Kestrel?
- Under traditional terminology, the American kestrel is the smallest raptor in the Americas, though the South American spot-winged falconet is almost as small. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an American Kestrel?
- The American Kestrel is a medium sized bird weighing about 115 g.
- Where can you see an American Kestrel?
- The American Kestrel occurs in 54 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina and Chile.
- What does an American Kestrel sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the American Kestrel on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to an American Kestrel?
- The American Kestrel is most easily confused with the Common Kestrel, the Peregrine Falcon and the Merlin.
- Is the American Kestrel endangered?
- The American Kestrel is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the American Kestrel for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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