The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest falcon in North America and it’s also the most common. This time of year, it’s also very common in central Florida. Although our Florida birds don’t migrate, many birds from further north do migrate to Florida (and other southern locations) during the winter. These small birds of prey eat mostly insects, although they will also take small lizards, frogs, and even small birds and mammals. They can live in a wide variety of habitats and can be found from above the arctic circle to the tropics. They prefer areas with open fields and relatively low vegetation, but with some trees around to provide nesting sites. For that reason they’re very often seen in farming areas. They usually hunt either from a high perch like a power line or a fence post or they will fly into the wind in such a fashion that they actually hover above the ground. Like other birds of prey, they have very keen sight and can spot prey from quite a distance away. Even though these birds are small (about the size of a mourning dove), they are known to be fierce and fairly aggressive.

Kestrels are sexually dimorphic with the males having considerably more slatey blue on their bodies and wings than the females. Males and females form strong bonds that are often life long, but not always. They nest in cavities in trees, cliff faces, and buildings and sometimes even use manmade nesting boxes. Both males and females incubate eggs and care for the young. Although this species numbers have gone down since the 1960s, their highly varied diets and willingness to live in a variety of habitats have helped them survive better than many other birds of prey. This bird, a female, was perched on the top of an old, dead pine tree overlooking a field where I suspect she had been hunting. She was quite a ways away from me, but still didn’t like it if I left my truck (my rolling hide). I watched her for quite a while as the sun got lower and lower, and shortly after the sun set she suddenly decided to leave. It must have been about time to find a place to spend the night and rest.