Northern populations migrate south in the winter as far as Central America and the Caribbean. Habitat American kestrels inhabit a wide range of habitats, from deserts to forest edges, but they prefer more open country. Their long, tapered wings give them the telltale characteristics of a falcon. This is one of the few raptors in North America where the males and females can be distinguished by their plumage. Both males and females have rusty-colored heads with a gray fringe.
Females have reddish-brown wings and banded tails.
The female's breast is beige and heavily streaked with brown. Span A banded American kestrel lived 11.5 years in the wild. The maximum recorded age in captivity is about 17 years. They also hunt small rodents and birds. During the winter, they hunt throughout daylight hours, preying primarily upon small birds and rodents.