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American Kestrel

Status Common in summer, uncommon in winter. Breeds. This is by far our commonest hawk. It usually first arrives in late March or early April (average 1 April, earliest 20 March), and numbers appear by mid-to late April. During summer it is widespread, especially in agricultural regions. Fall migration is noticeable by mid August, and, on Brier and Seal islands, daily counts of 25 or more have been recorded between early September and late October (exceeding 100 on several occasions between 21 September and 10 October). Infrequent winter birds are usually seen in coastal localities.

Description Length: 23-30 cm. Adult male: Top of head and nape bluish gray with large chestnut-brown patch. Two black patches on each side of head, one extending downward from in front of eye, the other down from the ear. Back chestnut, more or less barred with black. Tail chestnut with black subterminal bar. Wing coverts bluish gray, barred or spotted with black. Primaries black, barred with white on inner webs. Chin and throat white. Underparts buffy white and more or less spotted with black. Adult female: Head similar to that of male but duller and with feather shafts blackish brown. Back, wing coverts and tail reddish brown, conspicuously barred with black. Breast and belly streaked with reddish brown.

Breeding Nest: In a tree cavity, usually one bored by a flicker, from 3 to 15 or more metres up. There is no lining to the nest, the eggs being deposited on chips of decayed wood. Eggs: 4-7, usually 5; creamy white, heavily marked and washed with bright cinnamon-brown. A nest containing five fresh eggs was found in an open grove at Port Williams, Kings County, on 10 May 1905, a typical date for first laying.

Range Breeds from Alaska, northwestern Mackenzie Valley, northern Ontario, southern Quebec and Nova Scotia, south to the West Indies and South America. Winters from southern Canada southward.

Remarks The smallest of North American hawks. Its usual call is a high-pitched, pleasing, rapidly repeated killee, killee, killee, most frequently heard during breeding season. Its former name of "Sparrow Hawk" was a misnomer, for though it does prey on small birds of sparrow size, particularly during migration, its menu is made up largely of insects, especially grasshoppers, mice, and reptiles. "Of 427 stomachs examined, mammals occurred in 147; poultry or game, none; small birds, 69; other vertebrates, 13; insects, 269; miscellaneous, 30; and 29 were empty" (J.B.May 1935). On 25 July 1937, I saw one at Albany, Annapolis County, carrying a small, wriggling green snake in its talons. C.R.K. Allen tells of one in August 1955 feeding on flying insects (probably flying ants) by "hawking" about and seizing them in its mouth.

Further evidence that hawks kill only to satisfy their immediate food requirements (see Rough-legged Hawk) was provided by a tame, recently fed American Kestrel which on several occasions showed not the slightest interest in a live House Sparrow that had been released in its pen. Only some hours later (more than 10 hours on one occasion) did it kill and eat the sparrow.

Its small size (slightly larger than a robin), its conspicuous chestnut markings, its common habit of hovering on rapidly beating wings when prey is sighted below, and its slender, pointed wings (typical of all falcons) provide good field marks for easy identification. It is one of the most beneficial of our hawks and well merits the protection provided to all hawks by provincial statute.