Nesting usually begins in mid-March, and a clutch of four to six eggs is laid in early April. The female does most of the incubating for 28 to 30 days, while the male hunts for her. Young kestrels fledge from the nest after 28 to 30 days. Because many old-growth trees and snags are being cut or cleared, and with the conversion of habitat to monotypic grain farms, these beautiful falcons have declined in some areas. They are Blue-Listed by the National Audubon Society.
Kestrels typically hunt from a conspicuous perch or hover like miniature helicopters.
The flight is buoyant, graceful and rapid, quite like a large swallow. Return to list. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of the Missouri Dept. of Conservation is prohibited.