# American Kestrel (*Falco sparverius*)

The American kestrel (*Falco sparverius*) is a bird of the falcon family, Falconidae, in the order Falconiformes.

> The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest falcon in North America, weighing only 80–165 g. Males have rusty backs and blue-grey wings, females rusty wings, and both have two black 'moustache' stripes on the face. It ranges from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, hovers over fields and catches grasshoppers, mice and small birds. It is Least Concern but declining in many areas.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Throughout the Americas from Alaska and Canada to Tierra del Fuego.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/american-kestrel/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Falconiformes
- **Family:** Falconidae
- **Genus:** Falco

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Falco sparverius |
| Diet | Grasshoppers and other insects, mice, voles, lizards and small birds |
| Habitat | Open country: grassland, farmland, deserts and towns |
| Size | 22–31 cm long; wingspan 51–61 cm |
| Weight | 80–165 g |
| Lifespan | Oldest known wild bird 11 years; 17 in captivity |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2025) |

## Identification

American kestrels are colourful little falcons. Males have a rufous back and tail, slate-blue wings and spotted buff underparts; females are rufous with dark barring all over. Both have two vertical black stripes on the white face.

## Hovering hunters

Kestrels hunt from wires and posts or by hovering in the wind, then drop onto grasshoppers, beetles, mice and voles. In winter and in cities they take more small birds.

## Cavity nesters

Unlike most falcons, American kestrels nest in holes, such as old woodpecker cavities, crevices in buildings and nest boxes. Nest-box programmes are a popular way to help them.

## Status

BirdLife International lists the American kestrel as Least Concern (2025), estimating about 9.2 million mature birds, but reports a decreasing trend, with notable declines in parts of North America. Animal Diversity Web notes that the oldest recorded wild bird was 11 years old.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the smallest falcon in North America?

The American kestrel, which weighs 80–165 g.

### Is the American kestrel the same as the common kestrel?

No. They are separate species. The common kestrel lives in Europe, Africa and Asia and is larger.

### Where do American kestrels live?

Throughout the Americas, from Alaska and Canada to Tierra del Fuego.

### Why are American kestrels declining?

The causes are still being studied; habitat change, pesticides and fewer nest sites are among the suspected factors.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: American Kestrel Falco sparverius. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/american-kestrel-falco-sparverius)
- [Animal Diversity Web: Falco sparverius. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Falco_sparverius/)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the American Kestrel

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/american-kestrel/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.