Everett
Everett is a male American kestrel (Falco sparverius) who came
to us in December 2007 after being traded for a python from Cat Tales in
Spokane. Everett has a shoulder injury to his left wing which makes him
unable to extend it fully; unfortunately he cannot fly well enough to be
released into the wild. It is believed he was hit by a car.
American Kestrels are the smallest falcon in North America (and the second
smallest in the world – the smallest is the Pygmy falcon (Polihierax
semitorquatus) found in Africa. There are 5 North American falcons
(going from largest to smallest); the Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus),
the Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), the Prairie Falcon (Falco
mexicanus), the Merlin (Falco columbarius), and the American
kestrel.
Kestrels are somewhat unique in that they are sexually dimorphic in color.
The males have blue-grey down their wings, a spotted chest, and one thick
black band across the end of their tail (called a sub-terminal band).
Females are brown on their backs and wings, have vertical dashes on their
chests and have many stripes across their tail. This makes sex determination
very easy – with most other raptors, DNA testing is required.
Kestrels, like all other falcons, have distinct physical features that are
not found in other raptors. These include; the falcon’s tooth, malar
stripes, distinctly pointy wings, and nasal tubercles. The falcon’s tooth is
a small projection in the upper beak, just behind the tip, that fits neatly
into their prey’s vertebrae making it easy to snap and quickly kill their
prey. A corresponding notch in the lower beak complements the "tooth". Long,
pointy and narrow wings enable them to fly at high speeds. Kestrels in a
stoop dive (a near vertical dive) can reach speeds of up to 60mph. Nasal
tubercles are small bones found in the nose that allow falcons to breathe
easier during high speed diving. Since kestrels are diurnal (hunting during
the day), the dark malar stripes on the face help reduce glare from the sun.
Kestrels are found throughout North America and much of South America,
living in grasslands, semi-open forests, and urban and suburban areas. They
like clear prairie lands to hunt and a few scattered trees or high places
for them to nest and perch. They can be found quite frequently perched on
power lines and you can identify them by their head and tail bobbing, which
is a territorial gesture. Kestrels nest in cavities – including old
abandoned nests of other birds, nest boxes, small rock crevices, and even
holes in the side of a building.
A large portion of the diet of an American Kestrel is grasshoppers and other
large insects. However, they are opportunistic and will also commonly eat
small rodents, birds, bats, or small reptiles. They have been reported
taking down even larger prey like squirrels! Kestrels are often seen
hovering in place over a field, searching for prey. They are able to use
their wings and tail to balance in one place while scanning the ground with
their excellent eyesight. Their vision is thought to be between 8 and 12
times sharper than ours. To put that in perspective, tack a piece of paper
with writing on it onto a wall and walk as far from it as you can while
still being able to read the words. A kestrel would be able to go 12 times
farther away, and still be able to read it! This is not because they can
“zoom in” with their eyes, but simply because their vision is much much
sharper. Kestrels can also see in the ultraviolet light range, allowing them
to track down areas with large quantities of rodent urine, which reflects UV
light.
