American Kestrel
Falco sparverius

Size: 10-12"; up to 2-foot wingspan

Male: (Shown) Rusty brown back and tail, and white breast with dark spots. Double black vertical lines on white face. Blue gray wings. Distinctive wide black band with a white edge on tip of rusty tail.

Female: Similar to male, but slightly larger. Has rusty brown wings and dark bands on tail; duller in overall color.

Juvenile: Same as adult of the same sex.

Nest: Uses a cavity, but does not build nest within. One brood per year.

Eggs: 4-5; white with brown markings

Incubation: 29-31 days; female and male incubate

Fledging: 30-31 days; male and female feed young

Migration: The American Kestrel can be found in St. Charles County year round.

Food: Insects, small mammals, small birds, and reptiles

Fact: Also called Sparrow Hawk due to its small size, and could be called Grasshopper Hawk because it eats many grasshoppers.