This week's Crops & Clips: American Kestrel

The American Kestrel is one bird that I will especially miss seeing now that the fields surrounding our Illinois condo have been developed. They liked to perch on the stakes marking the utilities. These were the highest structures on acres of recovering prairie, great places from which to hunt for grasshoppers and mice. This one was only yards away from our front door. Now our neighbor's front steps occupy the exact site.

Blue posts indicated the locations of water lines. This post was newly repainted in anticipation of the construction. The male's blue back nearly matches the color.





Construction was stalled by the economic recession, and the paint faded on some of the posts.





Blue photosensors on the street lights seemed to attract the kestrels. Was this just a coincidence? They probably provide a better view.







Female kestrels have brown backs, and they also favored the blue light sensors.



A female kestrel in flight.



Another female (or was this possibly a young bird?) rested on a communications line marker.



A male flew directly at a female that was perched atop the light pole. What were his intentions?





He drove her away!

This pair was present all summer. Although I never found a nest or saw any young birds, they spent much time in a large tree on private property adjacent to our development.  

Shared in The Bird Depot