Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing kestrels. Kestrels are falcons and are thus classified in the falcon genus. All kestrels are falcons, but not all falcons are kestrels, so a lot of the information presented here may be applied to falcons who we’ll be saving for their own episode. Kestrels are set apart from other members of the falcon genus for their ability to hover. While hunting, these birds hold still in a single place while searching for prey and then dive from that spot onto an unsuspecting meal. They’re like bird helicopters! Prey to kestrels include small mammals like voles and mice, reptiles like snakes and geckos, amphibians like frogs, as well as other birds. Kestrels may also hunt on the ground stirring up and eating insects like grasshoppers and beetles.

Nearly all falcon species commonly referred to as “kestrels” live throughout the eastern hemisphere. There is one species found in the Americas known as the American kestrel, however, there’s debate about whether this bird should be considered a kestrel, a falcon, or a hobby - another type of falcon. In fact, they were formally known as the American sparrowhawk until they were officially renamed in 1983. For the purposes of this episode, we’re including the American kestrel in our discussion.

Kestrels live in a variety of habitats including tropical forest, mountainous areas, and urban settings, however their preferred places are open areas with places to perch including bushlands, grasslands, open forests. Most species are solitary, sticking only to a single partner during the breeding season, however some species, like the lesser kestrel, are gregarious and gather in small, loose flocks. Kestrels do not build their own nests; instead they take over the nests of other birds or find hollows in trees or rocky outcrops in which to raise their young.

These birds are considered monogamous and are known to keep the same partner year after year. Something strange about these birds of prey is that the males and females appear different from each other in coloration. This is unusual for many raptor species. What’s not usual, though, is that the females appear larger than the males. In size, kestrels may be a mere 5.3 ounces (150g) in weight with the largest species doubling that. For reference, a roadrunner weighs more than the average kestrel.

Kestrels lay 1 to 7 eggs in a nest which are incubated for about a month. Incubation duties fall to the female while the male provides her food. After the eggs hatch, the male continues to bring food and it takes around another month for the babies to leave the nest, though they stick around for a few more weeks to learn how to hunt and receive provisions from their parents. Their first year is their most perilous as more than half of them won’t make it to their first year of age. Aside from habitat destruction and run-ins with man-made obstacles like power-lines, kestrels face predators in the form of owls, hawks, other falcons, monkeys, mongooses, coyotes, and more. In the wild, they can live to be ten to fifteen years old.

Thank you to our Patrons SpikeSpiegel93, Dad, and everyone else for their support of this channel! Thank you to Gregory and Arkin for today’s request! For more facts on kestrels, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!