The American kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America, roughly the size of a mourning dove, but built for speed and precision. Their rust-colored backs, blue-gray wings and bold facial markings make them one of the most beautiful raptors in the West.

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Kestrels are often seen perched along roadsides or hovering in place over open fields, using quick bursts of flight to hunt insects and small mammals. 

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Unlike many raptors, kestrels adapt well to human environments and are often found in urban and suburban areas. However, their populations have declined across much of North America. Since the mid-1900s, kestrels have dropped by more than 50% continent-wide, and researchers have not been able to identify a single cause. Instead, their decline appears to be driven by a combination of habitat loss, extreme weather, climate change and exposure to toxins like pesticides and rodenticides.

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HawkWatch International has been studying kestrels for over a decade and conducting more than 40 years of raptor migration monitoring across the West. To better understand their survival and movement, Hawkwatch researchers band kestrels with a large colored band marked with one letter and one or two numbers, which can often be seen with binoculars or a camera. Members of the public who identify a kestrel are encouraged to report these sightings to HawkWatch to help track individual birds over time.

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• Kestrels are cavity-adopting raptors, meaning they rely on existing holes or nest boxes rather than building their own nests. 

• Kestrels in the western U.S. may be more stable than eastern populations, possibly due to their ability to delay laying eggs when conditions are not favorable.

• Kestrels feed on insects, small rodents and birds, often hunting from perches or by hovering in place.