American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Order

FALCONIFORMES

Family

Falcons (Falconidae)

Code 4

AMKE

Code 6

FALSPA

ITIS

HEAD

Bill Shape: Hooked
Eye Color: Dark brown
Head Pattern: Unique pattern
Crown Color: Blue-gray with red-brown spot.
Forehead Color: White and blue-gray.
Nape Color: Red-brown with black stripe.
Throat Color: White
Cere color: Yellow

BODY

Length Range: 23-30 cm (9-12 in)
Weight: 111 g (3.9 oz)
Size: 3. Medium (9 - 16 in)
Color Primary: Gray, Rufous or Rust
Underparts: Orange with brown spots.
Upperparts: Red-brown back, blue-gray wings with white spotting.
Back Pattern: Barred or banded
Belly Pattern: Spotted or speckled
Breast Pattern: Solid

FLIGHT

Flight Pattern: Soars on thermals., Several rapid wing beats followed by a glide., Often hovers on rapidly beating wings.
Wingspan Range: 51-64 cm (20-25 in)
Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings, Long-Wings
Tail Shape: Fan-shaped Tail
Tail Pattern: Barred
Upper Tail: Red-brown with black bands.
Under Tail: Pale yellow-brown to red-brown with black bars.
Leg Color: Yellow

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden2.

Field Guide to Birds of North America