American Kestrel

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

Order: Falconiformes          Family: Falcons (Falconidae)

The American Kestrel also known as a Sparrow Hawk. It is the smallest of the North American hawks and is the only Kestrel in the Americas. This is a very common falcon found throughout North and Central America and much of South America. During the summer months they eat mostly large insects such as grasshoppers. During the winter months they feed on small mammals, birds, and amphibians. Flocks are known as a ‘soar’ or ‘flight’ or ‘hover’.