BIRDS: NONPASSERINES: FALCONS

American Kestrel, Falco sparverius

Family Falconidae (Falcons)

Size: 10"

Season: Year-round

Habitat: Open country, urban areas

Colorado’s most common falcon, the American kestrel is tiny (robin-size), with long, pointed wings and tail, and fast flight. It hovers above fields or dives from a perch in branches or on a wire to capture small animals and insects. The kestrel’s upperparts are rufous and barred with black, its wings are blue gray, and its breast is buff or white and streaked with black spots. The head is patterned with a gray crown and vertical patches of black down the face. The female has rufous wings and a barred tail. Also known as the sparrow hawk, the kestrel has a habit of flicking its tail up and down while perched. The adult male is illustrated.