American Kestrel

'''Common Name:''' American Kestrel<br>

'''Common Name:''' American Kestrel<br>

'''Scientific Name:''' Falco sparverius

'''Scientific Name:''' Falco sparverius

American Kestrels occupy habitats ranging from deserts and grasslands to alpine meadows. They are most likely spotted perching on telephone wires along roadsides, in open country with short vegetation and few trees.  In winter in many southern parts of the range, female and male American Kestrels use different habitats. Females use the typical open habitat, and males use areas with more trees. This situation appears to be the result of the females migrating south first and establishing winter territories, leaving males to the more wooded areas.

American Kestrels occupy habitats ranging from deserts and grasslands to alpine meadows. They are most likely spotted perching on telephone wires along roadsides, in open country with short vegetation and few trees.  In winter in many southern parts of the range, female and male American Kestrels use different habitats. Females use the typical open habitat, and males use areas with more trees. This situation appears to be the result of the females migrating south first and establishing winter territories, leaving males to the more wooded areas.

'''Status:''' Least Concern. '''Global population:''' 4,000,000 adult individuals.  The American Kestrel is North America’s most common and widespread falcon but populations have been declining everywhere except in the central United States. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, between 1966 and 2010 they declined by an estimated 1.5 percent per year, amounting to a cumulative decline of about 48 percent. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population at 4 million, with 13 percent breeding in Canada, 31 percent residing in the U.S., and 10 percent in Mexico. They rate an 11 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score and are not on the 2012 Watch List. Current declines stem from continued clearing of land and felling of the standing dead trees these birds depend on for their nest sites. The American Kestrel is also losing prey sources and nesting cavities to so-called “clean” farming practices, which remove hedgerows, trees, and brush. An additional threat is exposure to pesticides and other pollutants, which can reduce clutch sizes and hatching success. For kestrels in North America, a larger problem with pesticides is that they destroy the insects, spiders, and other prey on which the birds depend.

'''Status:''' Least Concern. '''Global population:''' 4,000,000 adult individuals.  The American Kestrel is North America’s most common and widespread falcon but populations have been declining everywhere except in the central United States. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, between 1966 and 2010 they declined by an estimated 1.5 percent per year, amounting to a cumulative decline of about 48 percent. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population at 4 million, with 13 percent breeding in Canada, 31 percent residing in the U.S., and 10 percent in Mexico. They rate an 11 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score and are not on the 2012 Watch List. Current declines stem from continued clearing of land and felling of the standing dead trees these birds depend on for their nest sites. The American Kestrel is also losing prey sources and nesting cavities to so-called “clean” farming practices, which remove hedgerows, trees, and brush. An additional threat is exposure to pesticides and other pollutants, which can reduce clutch sizes and hatching success. For kestrels in North America, a larger problem with pesticides is that they destroy the insects, spiders, and other prey on which the birds depend.