American Kestrels

Falco sparverius

The American Kestrel is the smallest and most colorful falcon species of North America.

Bison, Kestrels and Pintails

By |2024-01-03T05:09:39-07:00January 3rd, 2015|Categories: American Bison, American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Pintails, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent the yesterday morning photographing with two great friends at Antelope Island State Park and Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area and had a wonderful time.

Female Kestrel With Prey On A Snowy Day

By |2022-12-10T06:30:59-07:00December 23rd, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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 American Kestrel On A Frosty Winter Morn

By |2023-01-12T18:20:23-07:00August 22nd, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

American Kestrels are year round residents in Utah and when the cold sets in they are less skittish and will allow closer approaches.

American Kestrel Lift Off

By |2022-12-10T09:30:20-07:00July 20th, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

American Kestrels are a challenge to photograph when they are in flight or lifting off because they move so quickly and in low light it can be even harder.

American Kestrel Male On Frosty Rabbitbrush

By |2022-12-10T09:31:47-07:00June 30th, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know a lot of people are suffering because of the heat of summer so I though I would post an image of a male American Kestrel perched on a frosty Rabbitbrush.

Banking American Kestrel female

By |2022-03-16T06:45:17-06:00April 7th, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The term "Banking" in my title doesn't mean this female American Kestrel is heading to the closest ATM or to a local branch of Wells Fargo because this little beauty doesn't care one cent about money!

White Gyrfalcon – Yet another escaped falconry bird!

By |2021-08-10T10:08:55-06:00February 22nd, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Gyrfalcons, Peregrine Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In the four and a half years I have been in Utah I have seen and photographed four escaped falconry birds, one in 2009, two in 2012 and yesterday I photographed another one, an escaped White Gyrfalcon.

Male American Kestrel resting near the shore of the Great Salt Lake

By |2022-12-10T09:37:01-07:00January 9th, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was going to do a post about a Bald Eagle this morning but at the last minute had a change of mind and decided to work up this male American Kestrel that I photographed resting near the shore of the Great Salt Lake.

Fire in the sky, fog and a female American Kestrel

By |2022-12-10T09:46:47-07:00December 16th, 2013|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, Weather Phenomena|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The American Kestrel had just finished devouring a small bird of some sort, I really couldn't tell what it was because there were only a few small feathers left by the time I spotted the tiny falcon and when we stopped to photographer her.

Female American Kestrel and an American Pipit’s demise

By |2024-01-07T17:49:01-07:00December 9th, 2013|Categories: American Kestrels, American Pipits, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I normally see American Kestrels with voles as prey but seeing her with the American Pipit once again showed me why American Kestrels used to be called Sparrow Hawks which is why some people probably still use that name.

Hovering American Kestrel

By |2022-12-10T09:49:42-07:00June 2nd, 2013|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Hovering Kestrel shots aren't easy to capture without baiting or using decoys, part of that is because I can't tell when a kestrel might get it in its mind to hover for prey, the other part is being in the right place at the right time.

Female American Kestrel in the West Desert

By |2022-12-10T09:53:43-07:00April 28th, 2013|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Juab County, Tooele County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few days ago I spotted this female American Kestrel on the road to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, and I do mean in the road. She almost didn't move even when the pickup was 20 feet from her as we rolled to a stop.

Side lit American Kestrel

By |2022-12-10T09:59:10-07:00March 12th, 2013|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this American Kestrel image yesterday while moving images to a new external hard drive and realized I hadn't edited any of the photos in the series yet, so I did.

Goodbye 2012 – Hello 2013

By |2021-04-06T10:43:48-06:00January 1st, 2013|Categories: American Bison, American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Burrowing Owls, California Gulls, Centennial Valley, Coyotes, Montana, Moose, Northern Harriers, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks, Short-eared Owls, Snowy Egrets, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, valley, western skies|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

2012 was a fantastic year for me as a photographer and I am looking forward to the joys that 2013 will bring. Happy New Year to all.

More on Escaped Falconry Birds

By |2022-12-10T10:05:57-07:00December 23rd, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Throughout these three experiences in finding escaped falconry birds what I have learned is that falconry is for experts not for people who just think it is cool to have a pet raptor.

Male American Kestrel lifting off

By |2022-12-10T10:10:36-07:00December 16th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

There is something about American Kestrels that speaks to me. They might be our smallest falcon in North America but they have big attitudes, fierce characters and are terrific hunters.

Escaped Falconry Birds – Peregrine Falcon and American Kestrel

By |2020-03-11T13:17:52-06:00October 16th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know that falconry birds and rehabbed raptors can be used as excellent tools in educating the public, I've been impressed with them myself. But there is a risk for falconry birds that escape and that still have jesses or anklets attached and that fact worries me.

Farmington Utah’s Voles – Just My Opinion

By |2024-03-05T10:03:42-07:00June 25th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Conservation, Coyotes, Environment, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Glacier County, Great Blue Herons, Great Horned Owls, Loggerhead Shrikes, Montana, Northern Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks, Salt Lake Valley, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Recently KSL.com; a Utah news station, had an article about a vole (a small rodent) infestation In Farmington, specifically in the neighborhood of Foxboro Community. While I sympathize with the residents about the damage being done to their yards I am disturbed by the advice many of the people commenting have left on the story.

Female American Kestrel eating a vole (graphic)

By |2022-12-10T10:16:50-07:00February 5th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are times when photographs speak for themselves, they tell a story or show behavior and with my bird and wildlife photography they also show the natural cycle of life. These images may be gruesome for some to view but they show this falcon's natural behavior quite well.

Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Birds

By |2024-03-28T05:14:18-06:00January 25th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Barn Owls, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Brewer's Blackbirds, Burrowing Owls, California Gulls, Chukars, Common Ravens, Davis County, Great Horned Owls, Green-winged Teals, Horned Larks, Killdeer, Long-billed Curlews, Northern Harriers, Northern Shovelers, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Rough-legged Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Utah, Western Meadowlarks, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is the third post in my series about Wild and Wonderful Antelope Island State Park, I've saved the best (and longest) for last. The Birds! Okay, maybe they aren't the best thing about Antelope Island State Park, but I am a bird photographer and they are what I am most passionate about!

Friday Photos ~ Feathers and Fur

By |2023-10-02T19:03:44-06:00January 20th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Black-crowned Night Herons, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Long-tailed Weasels, Pronghorn, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For today's Friday Photos I am mixing it up a bit and posting images of Pronghorns, a Black-crowned Night Heron, a Long-tailed Weasel and an American Kestrel. Please enjoy!

Preening American Kestrel ~ Friday Photos

By |2022-11-30T06:42:11-07:00January 6th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

American Kestrels hold a special interest for me, they are North America's smallest falcon but what they lack in size they make up for in attitude. These falcons can be fiesty.

American Kestrel Male

By |2022-12-10T10:20:16-07:00July 20th, 2011|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The American Kestrel is our smallest falcon in North America but what they lack in size I feel they make up for in attitude.

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