Kestrel << KEHS truhl >> is the name of more than a dozen species (kinds) of small, brightly colored birds of prey. Kestrels live on all the continents except Antarctica. The American kestrel lives throughout the Americas. It is sometimes called the American sparrow hawk but is not a true hawk. The common kestrel lives throughout much of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The lesser kestrel is found around the Mediterranean Sea and in central Europe.
Most kestrels have a reddish-brown back. The male American kestrel has a reddish-brown tail and grayish-blue wings. The male common kestrel has a gray tail, a reddish-brown inner wing, and a dark outer wing. The male lesser kestrel has a gray tail, a grayish-blue inner wing, and a dark outer wing. Female common and lesser kestrels are mostly reddish-brown. Kestrels measure from 8 to 15 inches (20 to 38 centimeters) long. The American kestrel, the smallest and most colorful American falcon, is about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long.
Loading the player...American kestrel
Kestrels feed on a variety of small animals. Most species are called windhovers because they hover (stay in one place) in the air while they hunt. They face into the wind and beat their wings while watching the ground for prey. When they see an animal to eat, they swoop down and grab it. The common kestrel eats mice and other rodents. The American kestrel also feeds on mice, but it eats mostly insects when they are available.
Kestrels nest in holes in buildings, cliffs, and trees. They also may use nest boxes or nests abandoned by other birds. In Europe and North and South America, kestrels sometimes nest in cities, usually on top of church towers or other tall structures.
