Perching: Both sexes have gray head caps, rufous backs with noticeable barring, and two black vertical lines (malar) on a white face. Males have blue-gray wings whereas females have rufous wings. They will flick their tail up and down immediately after landing.

Flying: Pointed swept-back wings. They use rapid, shallow wing-beats alternating with short long glides. They will hover with rapid wing beats and dive to catch prey.

Nests in tree cavities, cliff faces, or wooden nest boxes. Nest cavities are most often found on the east side of a nest tree and most often located on east-facing slopes. Highest nesting densities probably occur in and around urban areas, where these small falcons hunt insects and small rodents. They can also be found in forests, wooded backyards, parks, cliffs, fields, and along roads. They are very vocal (high screams) around the nest.

Courtship: March to April

Incubation: April to May

Dependent nestlings: Late May to late July

Incubation period is 26-32 days, and the young fledge 27-31 days after hatching. Parents continue to feed fledglings for up to 12 days. As a rule of thumb, expect the entire cycle of egg-laying, incubation, hatching, and fledging to take about 2 months. If you see an active nest box in mid-March, start looking for fledglings in mid-June.

Although its scientific name and the commonly used name "sparrow hawk" imply that the kestrel feeds exclusively on small birds, the majority of the kestrel's diet consists of insects and small mammals. During summer, food primarily consists of insects such as grasshoppers and crickets, as well as the occasional frog, snake, or lizard. Throughout the year, and especially in winter when insect populations are low, Kestrels tend to hunt small mammals such as mice, rats, shrews, gophers, young ground squirrels, and birds.

State and Federal Status: Not listed

IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Common throughout Colorado, and breeding throughout most of Colorado except the high mountains and some of the plains, especially those sections devoted mainly to crops. Kestrels maintain a healthy population in Colorado.

Although American kestrel populations are on the rise, the largest threat to their future is the continued loss of nesting habitat. By protecting snags, and properly managing open areas, landowners can assist in the continued success of kestrels and other species that rely on similar habitat.

Look for pairs in courtship during March and April and try to track down their potential nesting cavities. Listen for “chitter” calls for interactions between the males and females (courtship feeding, copulation, and the feeding of nestlings).

Recommended Nest Buffer Area: 50m

No foot traffic or recreational activity within 50 m of active nests from March 1^st to August 15^th