|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
The American kestrel, also often called the sparrow hawk, is the smallest and most numerous falcon in North America. It is a falcon - a family of hawks that have long, pointed wings and are the fastest flying birds alive. There are seven subspecies of kestrels, three of which inhabit the United States. Only one of these subspecies, Falco sparverius sparverius, is found in Ohio. The kestrel population in Ohio grew as the state’s forests were cleared for agricultural uses. Today, it is common to see kestrels hovering and hunting for prey in the grass median between many of the state’s major highways.
Listen
|
|
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
At-a-Glance
• Mating: Monogamous
• Peak Breeding Activity: Late February-late March
• Incubation Period: 29-31 days, generally April
• Number of Eggs: 3-6
• Young Hatch: Generally in late April or early May; they are altricial and require their parents’ care.
• Eggs Produced: Once a year, but they will renest if the first nest is destroyed. There are also reports of second broods following a successful first nesting.
• Migration Patterns: Many kestrels are year round residents in Ohio.
• Feeding Patterns: Known to feed throughout the day, but may have morning and evening peaks depending on prey availability, season, or reproductive activities.
|
|
Description
Kestrels are beautiful birds with distinctive coloration. Kestrels are rusty brown above, with a black nape and two vertical black stripes on a white face; one of these resembles a mustache below the bird’s eye and the other stripe is located near the bird’s ear area.
Habitat and Habits
American kestrels inhabit open areas, including meadows, pastures, woodland openings, suburbs, city parks, and farmland. They live in diverse habitats where prey and elevated perch sites are available. When prey species are abundant, kestrels may store or cache food for later consumption in grass clumps, tree stumps or holes, fence posts, bushes, or on tops of utility poles. The call is a sharp killy, killy, killy .
Reproduction and Care of the Young
In Ohio, pairs may begin courtship displays as soon as late February. Courtship displays include five individual behaviors: aerial displays, vocalizations, male to female food passing, copulation, and nest cavity inspection. Food is passed to females by males for several weeks before the egg laying, throughout incubation, and for one to two weeks following hatching. Males are also the ones that seek out and explore cavities for potential nest sites. After the male explores a cavity, the female will inspect it and determine whether or not it is suitable for nesting. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|