Up-close with Fe (American Kestrel)

Fe, an American Kestrel and Raptor-in-Residence here at the Alaska Raptor Center, showing off her small size!

North America's smallest and most common falcon species, the American Kestrel, packs a predator’s fierce intensity into a small body! American Kestrels eat insects and other invertebrates, as well as small rodents and birds. Common foods include grasshoppers, cicadas, beetles, and dragonflies; scorpions and spiders; butterflies and moths; voles, mice, shrews, bats, and small songbirds. American Kestrels also sometimes eat small snakes, lizards, and frogs. And some people have reported seeing American Kestrels take larger prey, including red squirrels and Northern Flickers.

[gaflene]

Name twin! They're my favorite raptors. I didn't know females could have the iron coloration on their heads though! She's gorgeous.

[SavageRush]

Kestrels are one of my favorite species of raptors. Such adorable flying murder machines.

[AgentClaytonWebb]

A songbird until you see it in action lol

[dionnedunsmore]

Wow just yesterday I watched a yt post of one of these being released after homeowners daughter finding one in the new house!😊

[John-pkoh]

I get to see quite a few of these in N. Illinois, more so along farm fields. The blue tones make these little falcons so gorgeous, along with the double mustache on the sides of their face 😍 🥰🥰❤️

[billyspi.]

I love kestrels!!Cute..but deadly!!🥰😍💋

[wendymorris]

She's beautiful.. she reminds me of our Nankeen kestrels in Australia ❤

[michaelsullivan]

It's also a true falcon. My dad and I practice falconry when I was a kid. Beautiful bird ferocious for its size. I would cast it on Blue Jays, a very tough bird.

[anuragpriyadarshi]

cute predator...looks like a miniature falcon.

[amykins]

I actually got into raptors because one of these came into my backyard and perched on my trampoline net. It was a year I had so many small birds in my backyard I’d open the door and whoosh!!

[lukealadeen]

She's beautiful oh and that's a cute bird also

[adamrodgers]

We call em Sparrow Hawks hear in North Carolina, I know thats probably not the correct name but all I have ever known them by. Anyway we have had a little family of them living in a big ole Oke Tree hear in the back yard at the edge of the woods. I love them, they keep the mice in check and there so awesome to watch.

[spitfirebird]

She’s so smol, my heart! I haven’t seen these birds in real life before, but they are one of my favorite birds of prey along with ospreys, barred owls, moreporks, harpy eagles, red-shouldered hawks, and hasst eagles.

[macbrown]

We get them stuck in the hangar at work sometimes. I'm ok with it because they probably keep the swarms of smaller birds from getting into the hangar and messing things up even worse.

[RyanandSharonWelch]

The kestrel is my favorite raptor just because it’s like this little Honda Civic compact predator. Too bad you can’t keep them as pets falcon Rheem is probably a lot of fun.

[Mallik-lmgv]

It's eyes are so attractive so lovely Dard black..❤❤❤❤

[lonesteelwolfjacksonlonewo]

These are super cool got to see one up at aVermont state raptor recovery educational center

[zoezzzarko]

BEAUTIFUL !!!! 🖤🙏🙏🙏🖤🙏🖤🙏🖤🖤🖤🙏🙏🙏🖤🙏🙏🖤🙏🙏💙💙💙

[BakugoKatsukiNOTKACCHAN]

I named my tortishell kitten Kestrel ❤❤

[thomasmleahy]

Seen quite a few of these. There were a pair that made a large reduction in a group of ducklings nearby, going from 12 to about 7 at last count. The geese were much more successful at discouraging attacks, ducks, not so much.