Crops & Clips: American Kestrel

I grew up calling them Sparrow Hawks or Killy Hawks, although they are falcons, more closely related genetically to parrots than to true hawks. The American Kestrel is the only representative of the kestrel family native to North America. Their prey consists mostly of insects and small animals such as lizards, snakes and mice, although they are capable of catching small birds.



An American Kestrel munches on a dragonfly in our local south Florida wetlands:



Another seems to be waving"Hello!" One of its calls is a prolonged "killy-killy-killy...," hence its nickname:



They are often seen perching on utility wires:



The above photos show adult males with blue wings, while those of the larger female are brown:



The male's tail is more colorful. It is often spread and bobbed up and down after landing:



This kestrel is stretching its wing:



An American Kestrel in flight:





Although sometimes harassed by jays and mockingbirds, I have seen them roosting peacefully with other bird species, even a Mourning Dove (I missed that photo, which I would have captioned "Make Peace, Not War")...

A Blue Jay threatens:



A Northern Mockingbird has some unkind words to say:



This Loggerhead Shrike co-exists:



A pair of Northern Flickers find safety in numbers:



My jackpot shot-- A Belted Kingfisher and a pair of shrikes:



Kestrel hunting style includes "kiting, " by facing into a headwind and remaining motionless in the sky. This makes it easier for it to spot the movements of prey:



This falcon on a fence is a Merlin, a bit larger than a kestrel:



This Merlin exhibits a single vertical line under its eye, while the Kestrel has a bolder mark and a second parallel line posterior to its white cheek:



This past weekend, rain threatened as Mary Lou and I got out early to visit the Chapel Trail Nature Preserve:

 

We then led a bird walk in the wetlands adjacent to SW Regional Library in nearby Pembroke Pines. It rained on and off and only one participant showed up. He is enjoying a rainbow which appeared over the boardwalk:

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Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to FENCES AROUND THE WORLD by Gosia

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue

Linking to ALL SEASONS by Jesh

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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display

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