ORANGE COUNTY ZOO
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Irvine Park Railroad
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owned and operated by the
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Web page produced by the
Orange County Zoological Society,
Copyright 2005.
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Description:
Wingspread 20-24 inches. Typical falcon shape. Rufous-red on back and tail.
Male has blue-gray wings. Female is larger with brown wings. Weighs 3 1/2 - 4
1/4 ounces.
Range: Alaska, throughout North America, south to Tierra del Fuego.
Habitat: Woodlands, open fields, arid plains, deserts, wooded canyons.
Diet: Eats insects, bats, mice, birds, lizards, small snakes, frogs, and grasshoppers.
Habits: Hunts mostly in mornings and late afternoons.
Nest: Uses old nesting holes of flicker or hollow in trees or cactus. Lays 4-5 white eggs that are heavily blotched with brown. Incubated for 29-33 days, mostly by the female. Young leave nest 30-31 days after hatching.
General Information: Also known as a Sparrow Hawk. This bird is the smallest member of the falcon family. Flight speed up to 39 m.p.h.