American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Appearance
Range & Habitat
reciprocal relationships
This falcon is an important predator in farmlands! Farmlands occasionally use pesticides to prevent insects, mice, or other pests from harming the croplands. However, American Kestrels prey on these pests naturally and maintain crops without using pesticides. In the summer, they eat large insects (mainly grasshoppers) and during winter they eat small mammals (mice and sparrow-sized birds), sandpiper chicks, lizards, scorpions and amphibians. Predators include great horned owls, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and prairie falcons.