American Kestrel
URBAN BIRDS OF THE PARKS, GARDENS, AND SOURROUNDING AREAS OF THE CITY OF LOJA ECUADOR. BOOK PUBLISHED IN 2009, WITH 44 COMMON SPECIES. ILLUSTRATED BY PABLO ANDRADE. WORK SUPPORTED BY JAN HINLOOPEN.
Distribution.
25,5 – 29 cm (10 – 11″).
American Kestrel, Falco sparverius, Birds Loja City. An attractive small falcon that is fairly common and conspicuos in open and semiopen agricultural terrain and arround towns in more arid highlands, in the southwest (mainly El Oro and Loja) also ranging in lowlands.
In the city of Loja this nice raptor is seen often perched sometimes in the highest parts of churchs.
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American Kestrel, Falco sparverius, Birds Loja City.
Description.
Iris brown; cere, orbital ring, and legs yellow to orange – yellow. Male mainly rufous above, with blue – gray crown and white face crossed by black moustache and stripe on ear-coverts; wing coverts contrastingly blue – gray; fairly long tail rufous with black subterminal band and narrow white tip. Below cinnamon-buff, deepest on breast, whitest on throat; belly with scattered black spot. In flight wings pointed, rather long and narrow, underside whitish, flight feathers with dusky barring. Female differs in having entire upperparts, including wing-coverts, rufous narrowly barred blackish; below whitish, breast and flanks with rufous -brown streaking; tail rufous with numerous black bars.
Habits.
A familiar raptor, often living in close proximity to people and in agricultural areas, sometimes even in towns. often seen perched along roads, frequently on wires and fences. Hovers frequently on rapidly beating wings, then plunges to ground in pursuit of insects, less often small mammals or lizards. American Kestrel,Falco sparverius,Birds Loja City.
Voice:
Breeding birds give a shrill ” kiilly – killy – killy…” or “kree – kree – kree…”.
American Kestrel, Falco sparverius, Birds Loja City.