American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

07.30.2010 - Fiesta Island, CA

Although I'd seen other American Kestrels before, this is the first one we photographed, and it was James's lifer. This female was hanging out in the low scrub, apparently drenched from the morning fog. That and her apparently molting plumage meant she didn't fly as we approached, leading to this sweet picture.

12.29.2012 - Cape Hatteras, NC

Towards coastal North Carolina, American Kestrels become extremely common - at one point, half the birds we saw sitting on powerlines were kestrels. But kestrels are notoriously skittish, and will often flush even when a car approaches. We found this male hawking for insect prey in one of the campgrounds at the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Check out how different he is from the female - bold colors and spotting on the breast make males incredibly distinct. Truly one of America's most beautiful birds.