American Kestrel

by Kathy M Krause

Title

American Kestrel

Artist

Kathy M Krause

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

American Kestrels are carnivorous raptors or birds of prey that hunt by day. They are considered the smallest in the Raptor family and one of the most colorful. They hunt for insects and other small prey during the day in open areas and will perch on wires or poles. They can also be seen hovering while facing into the wind, flapping & adjusting their long tails to stay in place. It’s an amazing site if you are able to witness them hovering over their prey. A kestrel pounces on its prey, seizing it with one or both feet with their four strong claws. Kestrels may finish off a small meal right there on the ground or carry larger prey back to a perch. Kestrels favor open areas with short ground vegetation and sparse trees. You can see them in meadows, grasslands, deserts, farm fields, many habitats modified by humans which are near cities. Kestrels eat mostly insects and other invertebrates, as well as small rodents and birds. Common foods include grasshoppers, cicadas, beetles, and dragonflies, butterflies, voles, mice, shrews, bats, and small songbirds. They have also been known to eat small snakes, lizards, and frogs. Kestrels nest in cavities, although aren’t able to excavate their own, they do rely on old woodpecker holes, natural tree hollows, rock crevices, nooks in buildings and human made box nests. Usually nest sites are in trees along wooded edges or in the middle of open ground. Also in the Raptor group would be falcons, kites, hawks, eagles and vultures. Owls are also considered raptors, but they hunt mostly by night. Original digital photography is subject to copyright laws and may not be used, altered or duplicated in anyway without written permission from the artist, Kathy M. Krause.

Uploaded

January 1st, 2017

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Viewed 158 Times  -  Last Visitor from Charlotte, NC on 04/06/2024 at 11:10 AM

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