American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

First photographed: June 26, 2026
First location: Utah, United States
Conservation status: Least Concern

An american kestrel looking at the camera from a perch in Utah.

An evolving study

American Kestrel portfolio

This collection grows as I return to photograph new behavior, habitat, seasons, and stages of life.

An american kestrel eats rodent prey on a perch in Utah.

An american kestrel holds rodent prey in its talons on a perch in Utah.

Natural history

Species at a glance

Falco sparverius

Overview

The American Kestrel is the smallest and most colorful falcon in North America. It hunts from wires and posts or hovers into the wind, and it nests in natural cavities and nest boxes.

Identification

Both sexes have two dark vertical marks on the face and a rufous back. Males have blue-gray wings and a mostly unbarred rufous tail; females have rufous barred wings and tail.

Range

Occurs from Alaska and Canada through the Americas to southern South America. Northern populations migrate, while many birds farther south remain resident.

Habitat

Grasslands, deserts, farms, meadows, roadsides, towns, and other open landscapes with hunting perches and nesting cavities.

Diet

Large insects, small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Photography by Brittany Templin

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