American Kestrels

Falco sparverius

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

Female American Kestrel Get Off My Lawn Look

By |2023-02-12T08:09:44-07:00February 12th, 2023|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I viewed this American Kestrel photo my first thought was if this isn't a "get off my lawn look" then I have never seen a get off my lawn look from anyone.

Female American Kestrel On A Tree Top

By |2023-01-13T04:29:29-07:00January 13th, 2023|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent a few moments photographing a gorgeous female American Kestrel on a tree top yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA.

My 2022 Year In Review

By |2023-11-10T04:24:07-07:00December 31st, 2022|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Box Elder County, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Golden Eagles, Great Horned Owls, Horned Grebes, Morgan County, Ring-billed Gulls, Rock Wrens, Ruffed Grouse, Tundra Swans, Utah, Warbling Vireos, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this last day of the year it is time for my annual 2022 Year in Review post. In some ways 2022 has been great for me and in others not so good.

Christmas Day American Kestrel

By |2022-12-25T05:45:40-07:00December 25th, 2022|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this Christmas Day American Kestrel in 2020 at Farmington Bay WMA. That Christmas Day was bright and sunny, today isn't going to be at all.

Stretching Male American Kestrel In A Russian Olive

By |2021-12-28T07:30:40-07:00December 28th, 2021|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On the 3rd of December I spotted a small, colorful shape from a distance in a Russian Olive tree and knew immediately that I had found a male American Kestrel.

Winter Female American Kestrel Photos

By |2021-02-03T11:58:23-07:00February 3rd, 2021|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to take female American Kestrel photos from the causeway to Antelope Island State Park twice.

Male American Kestrel Chest Plumage Variation

By |2024-01-15T10:12:54-07:00January 24th, 2021|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two recent posts on Facebook inspired me to write about male American Kestrel chest plumage variation and to share six images of male kestrels photographed here in Utah.

Five Bird Photos From Christmas Day 2020

By |2020-12-26T07:05:35-07:00December 26th, 2020|Categories: American Kestrels, Bald Eagles, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Much to my delight I was able to photograph some birds on Christmas Day at Farmington Bay WMA yesterday morning.

Female American Kestrel With Her Prey

By |2021-03-10T08:06:38-07:00December 11th, 2020|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago I had one minute with a beautiful adult female American Kestrel and her partially eaten prey at Farmington Bay WMA.

Female American Kestrels On The Same Post Ten Years Apart

By |2022-06-06T03:44:39-06:00December 7th, 2020|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was only going to share this image today but as I processed this photo I thought about all the times I have photographed American Kestrels on this same exact post over the years.

Merlin And American Kestrels – Two Falcon Species In A Day

By |2024-02-15T04:05:11-07:00November 13th, 2020|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Any time I can see and photograph two falcon species in a single day is a great day and yesterday I photographed a Prairie Merlin and several American Kestrels.

Male American Kestrels At Bear River MBR

By |2021-12-29T04:24:56-07:00January 7th, 2020|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While this male American Kestrel struggled to maintain his grip on the thin branches of the Tamarisk I struggled to keep him in my viewfinder.

Female American Kestrel On A Crabapple Tree Near The Jordan River

By |2024-02-15T15:54:03-07:00December 17th, 2019|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was delighted when I spotted this female American Kestrel perched high on a crabapple tree next to a road near the Jordan River and pleased that she stuck around for a few photos.

Male American Kestrel In A Tree At Farmington Bay

By |2021-12-28T05:31:30-07:00February 11th, 2019|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took a long series of photos of this male American Kestrel in a tree at Farmington Bay WMA back in January and decided that I liked these two photos of the kestrel the best.

Male American Kestrel Turning In Flight – Small In The Frame

By |2022-12-10T08:49:01-07:00October 30th, 2018|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I would have enjoyed having this male American Kestrel closer to me as it turned in flight than it was yesterday morning I found that I liked this frame with the tiny falcon turning in flight being small in the frame too.

Male American Kestrel On A Sign Post With His Prey

By |2024-01-15T09:53:42-07:00January 3rd, 2018|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've found American Kestrels to be "stickier" in cold weather and it wasn't much above 20°F when I photographed him as he consumed the vole bit by bit.

Female and Male American Kestrel Comparison

By |2024-02-18T18:12:01-07:00December 10th, 2017|Categories: American Kestrels, Bird ID, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've seen people struggle with seeing the differences between male and female American Kestrels and I hope this simple comparison will help.

Male American Kestrel Resting and Preening – One Good Bird Can Make the Day

By |2022-12-10T08:57:55-07:00February 9th, 2017|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have mentioned before how one good bird can make a day and yesterday that bird was a male American Kestrel resting and preening at Farmington Bay WMA.

American Kestrel with prey on a snowy winter day

By |2022-12-10T09:01:55-07:00January 26th, 2017|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The American Kestrel was perched on an arching wild rose branch with prey in his bill when I photographed him with snow covered ice and the Wasatch Mountains in the background

Pale-chested American Kestrel – Variability in the Underparts of Male American Kestrels

By |2022-12-10T09:04:15-07:00January 16th, 2017|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The male American Kestrel caught my eye immediately because he has such a pale chest that the spots on his chest stood out like tiny black jewels set in a field of snow white.

American Kestrel Landing With A Grasshopper

By |2022-12-10T09:08:46-07:00November 8th, 2016|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was able take one image of the American Kestrel landing with a grasshopper in his bill that was sharp and that I liked.

An American Kestrel attacking a Red-tailed Hawk – How I Messed Up This Shot

By |2023-03-14T05:45:33-06:00February 8th, 2016|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It isn't every day that I have the opportunity to photograph an American Kestrel attacking a Red-tailed Hawk in the air, in fact this would have been my best opportunity.

Male American Kestrels on Nest Boxes

By |2022-12-10T09:18:40-07:00January 24th, 2016|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Male American Kestrels look for and locate potential nesting cavities within their territories and inspect them prior to the nesting season.

Male American Kestrel fluffed up on a cold Utah morning

By |2022-12-10T09:15:32-07:00November 5th, 2015|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While working on my new photo galleries I came across this image of a male American Kestrel fluffed up on a cold Utah morning taken back in the winter of 2010.

Female American Kestrel On A Snowy Waterfowl Sign

By |2022-12-10T06:33:43-07:00October 17th, 2015|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last winter I photographed this lovely little female American Kestrel at Farmington Bay WMA after a snow fall as she perched on a "Waterfowl Resting Area" sign.

Female American Kestrel at Farmington Bay

By |2022-12-10T08:38:18-07:00October 8th, 2015|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Male American Kestrels usually grab the show with their bright colors and bold patterns but I think the females are equally as stunning.

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