THE AMERICAN KESTREL IS THE SMALLEST MEMBER OF THE FALCON FAMILY. BUT SMALL IS RELATIVE - WEIGHING 3-6 OUNCES THEY ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST FEROCIOUS BIRDS OF PREY! THEY HUNT SMALL MAMMALS EASILY WEIGHING THEIR OWN SIZE AND EVEN LARGER. YOU WILL OFTEN SEE THEM HOVERING IN AN OPEN FIELD WAITING FOR A MOUSE OR GROUND MOLE TO COME OUT OF HIDING. THEY WILL ALSO BE SEEN SITTING ON A POWER LINE PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THEIR PREY. KEEN EYESIGHT IS COMMON AMONG BIRDS OF PREY, BUT THESE LITTLE HUNTERS ALSO SEE INTO THE ULTRA-VIOLET WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO FOLLOW URINE LEFT BY THEIR PREY. THEY ARE NATIVE TO ALMOST THE ENTIRE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HANDLING TWO OF THESE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS. I ALSO RESCUED ONE RIGHT AT THE BASE OF THE 3 WOODEN POLES WHERE THIS CACHE IS HIDDEN. SHE HAD BEEN HIT BY A CAR AND SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG. FORTUNATELY SHE SURVIVED, HEALED AND WAS RELEASED - A VERY HAPPY ENDING.