I want to share with you what I learned about a bird that I had the chance to study today. As the weather was so wonderful today I had the opportunity to get out and walk a bit and I think that all the wildlife were just as appreciative as I of the break in the cold weather. I have often observed this small bird, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius) from a distance but have never seen it up close. Today one ventured into the yard and perched on the electrical wire, likely in search of an easy meal, and with my binoculars in hand I spied on him from around the corner of the house. It was a male I found out later as I researched the little fellow because he lacked the distinctive reddish stripes on his belly like that of the females.
He was a tiny fellow, just a bit bigger than my fist, but he had the look of a predator. His talons were sharp and so was his beak. His eyes were everywhere and nothing was missed by his gaze. The colors of his feathers were beautiful with russet reds, light cream, and black and grays blended with the white accents. The two black streaks on his face his “mustache” and are one of the identification markings that can identify him for birdwatchers. I could see how he would be able to blend into the surroundings and go for his prey before they knew he was around. When he finally took flight with a little hop off the wire and then into a shallow dive, I felt a pang of loss, but I was happy that I had the chance to watch him for a bit.
When he was gone I went inside and did some research on kestrels and on “my” kestrel in particular. According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) the American Kestrel is “the smallest, most colorful, and most widespread North American falcon.” It likes to live in open areas like cropland or pastures where it is easier to spot their prey. They like to eat large insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and even other birds. One thing that I found interesting is the kestrel’s ability to sometimes hover several feet above the ground while hunting.
Next I went onto the Cornell Lab of Ornithology web-site for even more information. One of the best tools that I found right off the bat was a recording of his voice sounds. I also found out that the American Kestrel goes north into Alaska, Canada and a few of the northern states to breed each summer. One nasty little habit that I found out that I really wish I hadn’t was that the nestling kestrel spray their feces on the walls of their nest so that they don’t get it on their feathers. I cannot imagine that helps the smell of their nest in any way and I am sure that the nestlings are more than happy to leave the nest when they are big enough to fly.
Question to ponder….Do birds have a sense of smell? How sensitive is it?
So today I am happy! I saw “my” kestrel and found out some neat information about him and was able to share it with you also. That makes it a fantastic day! Keep your eyes open around you and see what you can find to add to your own Science Notebook.
Tennessee’s Watchable Wildlife http://www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/details.cfm?displayhabitat=grassland&sort=aounumber&typename=GRASSLAND%20AND%20SHRUB&uid=09042417525167611&commonname=American%20Kestrel
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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