Bird Blurb - American kestrels

This week’s Bird Blurb is about American kestrels.

American kestrels are 10-12 inches long, with a wingspan of 20-22 inches and an average weight of 3-5 oz. These birds are the smallest falcons in the US, weighing about as much as a deck of cards. They live across the Americas, and are incredibly common. Kestrels eat anything that is alive and can fit in their mouths - mostly large insects - but they’ll eat meat when they can. Since I can bring it up, I have worked with these birds in a rehab setting. I got to clean their enclosures, feed them,  handle them, and speak to the public about them. Flora, the kestrel I worked with, is about seven years old. She is a bit older than most wild kestrels get to be, as they typically live to be between three and five years old, but in captivity, they can live up to 15 years. Flora was very sassy, and would scream at me when I picked her up. Eventually, we became friends. One of the photos included shows me holding her while walking around the wildlife rehabilitation center. If you want to visit Flora and some of the other permanent residents at this rehab center, you should visit the Alabama Wildlife Center in Oak Mountain! Also if you have an injured bird, bring it there. If you find it or even a dead bird on campus though, come find me first. American kestrels are listed as least concern by the IUCN, but in the future they could be affected by rising temperatures, causing young to die of overheating.

Thank you so much for reading this Bird Blurb, and if there is a specific bird you would like me to cover, feel free to reach out!

Sources:

American kestrel. (2014, November 13). Audubon. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-kestrel

cosleyzoo. (2025, October 6). American kestrel. Cosley Zoo. https://cosleyzoo.org/american-kestrel/

Savannah P.