North+American+Kestrel

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//Falco sparverius //

Order: Falconiformes

=**__Husbandry Information__**=

Diet Requirements

 * In the wild, primary prey are small rodents and a variety of insects.
 * In captivity, they are fed chicks, quail, mice, ducklings, and Dallas Crown.

Notes on Enrichment & Training


=__Programmatic Information__=

Tips on Handling

 * Transport box suggestions AZAs Ambassador Animals dialog, Raptor Rig and Varikennel.
 * A couple things to keep in mind, if using the handle on the top of the transport box do not rest the bottom on your hip. It will cause the box to bounce, this might lead to an uncomfortable ride and decrease the likelihood that the bird will go in the box on future occasions. If the perch is to low for the bird, their tail feathers may get painted with fecal matter which does not look good on presentation. Varikennel you are able to adjust the height of the perch.

Potential Messaging


=__Acquisition Information__=

=__Comments from the Rating System__=
 * Philadelphia Zoo: Tends to be flightier

=__Natural History Information__=

Range and Habitat
Kestrels live throughout the United States and Canada in warm months, and the middle States into South American in the winter. Preferred habitat is open country, farmlands, forest edges, and cities.

Physical Description
 Males are easily distinguished from females by their size (males are smaller) and their slate blue wings (females have brown wings.) Kestrels possess a pair of false eye spots, or ocelli, on the nape of their neck. These dark circles are thought to be a form a protective coloration because they look like watching eyes and may deter potential predators.  Their sharp talons are used to grab their prey while the hooked beak is used to tear the prey into ingestible pieces.  North American kestrels are 9 to 12 inches in length. They are the smallest of the North American falcons.

Life Cycle
 Kestrels will nest in tree cavities, and will return to the same nesting site year after year. 6 or 7 eggs are laid per clutch, and are incubated for 30 days. Male kestrels assist with incubation, a trait rare in birds of prey.  Young leave the nest when they are one month old.  In the wild, kestrels can live up to 8 to 11 years. In captivity, the oldest recorded animal reached 17 years of age.

Behavior
Kestrels lead solitary lives for most of the year. They can also be seen perched on telephone poles, or on wires over grassy expanses.

Threats and Conservation Status
Cooper hawks regularly prey on American kestrels. American kestrels are not endangered, but numbers are declining, especially in the southern states. This may be due to the use of pesticides and human encroachments.

Prejudices against birds of prey still persist among many who wrongly believe that they harm wildlife or present major threats to domestic animals. Biological studies have documented their ecological importance as major controls on rodent populations. Some birds of prey feed on snakes, insects or other potential pests. No species of raptor poses a significant threat to domestic animals.

Instruct guests to never litter, especially when they are in a car. Throwing trash out along the roads not only makes the roads less attractive, but can also attract animals to the sides of the road. Some of these animals might look appetizing to an owl, hawk, or other predator which are then more likely to be hit by passing vehicles.

=__Did you know…__=
 * Kestrels are able to hover in the air while using their keen eyesight to search the ground below for prey.
 * Like other birds of prey, falcons ingest all of the prey animal, and later regurgitate the less digestible parts into a small pellet. This is called "casting a pellet."
 * Falcons can be distinguished from hawks by their long, tapered wings.

=__Photographs__=

=__Contributors and Citations__=
 * The Philadelphia Zoo