Bird Cams Around the World http://peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/ |
|
ABOUT THE AMERICAN KESTREL http://peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=47 |
Page 1 of 1 |
Author: | Catbird [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:27 pm ] |
Post subject: | ABOUT THE AMERICAN KESTREL |
BASIC INFORMATION ON AMERICAN KESTRELS Here's some basic information on American Kestrels from the Xcel Energy Kestrel Cam site at Pawnee Station in Boulder, Colorado (http://birdcam.xcelenergy.com/kestrel.html#facts).
* They are raptors - birds of prey. * As their name implies, they are found in the Americas, both North and South. Their habitat includes farm areas, prairies, wooded streams and deserts. * American Kestrels are frequently seen along roadsides, perched on utility poles. They need a perch to hunt and have the ability to hover, with their wings flapping, something other falcons don’t do. They also are speedy and can fly as fast as 40 mph. * For years they were called sparrow hawks. They were renamed because they are not true hawks, and are rarely called sparrow hawks anymore. * American Kestrels don’t make their own nests, but rely on empty magpie nests, cavities and holes in trees or cactus, nest boxes and niches in buildings. * Females will lay three to five, whitish, spotted eggs that require an incubation of about 28-29 days. Young kestrels will be ready to leave the nest 4-5 weeks after hatching. * They eat small rodents and insects, but also have been known to eat amphibians, snakes, other birds and worms. * The American Kestrel is the smallest species of falcon found in the Americas. Full-grown male kestrels weigh only about 4 ounces and measure 9 to 12 inches in length. Females are generally larger than males. * They don’t seem to dislike the cold and may winter over in their home territory while other birds are migrating south. DISTINGUISHING MALE & FEMALE AMERICAN KESTRELS The male American kestrel has an almost solid chestnut-brown back, while the female's back is a darker brown with lots of streaks. Here's a picture of the chicks from the first Nebraska clutch of 2009...a male is on the right, and two females are on the left. |
Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ] |
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |