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True to the name falcon, this species is built for speed, with long pointed wings, often bent back at the tip. If a suitable perch isnt available, American Kestrels will hover above an open field. Facing into the wind, they flap their wings and use their tails to hold their position. From aloft, kestrels watch for insects, small mammals, and reptiles, which they overtake and capture. Dont be fooled by their small sizeequal to that of a robinthese are fierce hunters. Using their notched beaks, kestrels quickly subdue their prey by severing the spinal cord at the neck.
The lack of suitable nesting cavities limits kestrel populations in some areas. And this has lead people to install wooden nest boxes. Many states now have kestrel nest box programs, placing boxes along interstate highways. On I-35 in Iowa, theres a kestrel box nearly every mile, from Minnesota to Missouri.
The kestrels readily adapt to these boxes and return each spring to do a little housekeeping. You can find more about kestrelsincluding photos and plans for a nestboxon our website, .
Bird sounds are provided by at the , Ithaca, New York. Recorded by R.C. Stein.
Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Chris Peterson
Writer: Frances Wood
穢 2015 Tune In to Nature.org February 2015 Narrator: Michael Stein