WHY AM I HERE?
I was taken into Fresno Wildlife rehabilitation in January of 2011 as an adult. My tail was missing and it is thought that someone tried to catch me by grabbing my tail feathers which ripped them out. This caused damage to the feather follicles and my tail has never grown back in properly which means I cannot be released into the wild because I would not be able to fly fast enough to catch my prey.
I AM SPECIAL BECAUSE
I am the smallest member of the falcon family! I am one of the few birds that can truly hover in the air. I can see ultraviolet light which lets me track urine trails of my prey!
RANGE
Very commonly found all over North America. Kestrels favor open areas with short vegetation. Kestrels also will inhabit areas modified by humans like pasture or parks!
DIET
Kestrels mainly eat insects, other invertebrates, and small rodents and birds. They sometimes eat lizards, frogs, and small snakes as well. My most favorite food is white mice!
NESTING
Kestrels nest in cavities made by other birds or naturally occurring in trees. They don’t use many nesting materials other than that. They take to human-made nest boxes as well.