American Kestrel
At a Glance
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Falcons, Hawk-like Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Arroyos and Canyons, Coasts and Shorelines, Desert and Arid Habitats, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Urban and Suburban Habitats
Region
Alaska and The North, California, Eastern Canada, Florida, Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, New England, Northwest, Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southeast, Southwest, Texas, Western Canada
Behavior
Flap/Glide, Hovering, Soaring
Range & Identification
Migration & Range Maps
Description
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Blue, Gray, Red, Reddish Brown, White, Yellow
Wing Shape
Long, Pointed, Swept, Tapered
Tail Shape
Long, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
Call Pattern
Flat, Simple
Call Type
Scream
Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the American Kestrel
Conservation
Climate Threats Facing the American Kestrel
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.