I’ve been seeing plenty of American Kestrels lately but none have been close enough to get nice images of so I pulled this one out of my archives from 2010.

Female Kestrel with prey on a snowy dayFemale Kestrel with prey on a snowy day – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, prey captured by the bird

Female American Kestrels aren’t nearly as colorful as the males but I adore the intricate plumage patterns they have on their backs, wings and tails. And I love their fierceness and attitudes towards larger birds, their prey and even people. This female kestrel with her prey was photographed at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

American Kestrels are North America’s smallest falcon and in some areas their populations are declining. Efforts are being made through the American Kestrel Partnership to study populations numbers and nest box monitoring. American Kestrels are cavity nesters so man made nest boxes can be a great help.

Snow, lots of it, is being predicted here for Christmas Day and that might just make these little falcons a bit stickier so I can get more images of them.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my American Kestrel photos plus facts and information about this species.