AMERICAN KESTREL Falco sparverius
The humble kestrel is one of the smaller falcons and also one of the prettiest. This is the falcon that habitually perches on telegraph poles and wires along roadsides, usually in loose pairs, occasionally performing rapid short flights to the ground for prey. Unique amongst falcons is the Kestrel´s ability to hover, though Paraguayan birds tend not to do so quite so often as their cousins in the States.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPAVE2954PH) Adult male dorsal, location unknown (Frank Fragano undated).
FIGURE 2 - (FPAVE3307PH) Adult male ventral, Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Roberto Derna August 2011).
FIGURE 3 - (FPAVE2955PH) Adult male ventral, PN Teniente Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 4 - (FPAVE2956PH) Adult male ventral, PN Teniente Enciso,  Departamento Boquerón (Hemme Batjes July 2006).
FIGURE 5 - (FPAVE2957PH) Adult male ventral, PN Teniente Enciso,  Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith  August 2011).
FIGURE 6 - (FPAVE2958PH) Pair roosting in dwarf Butia palm, Aguara Ñu, Departamento Candindeyú (Paul Smith October 2004).
FIGURE 7 - (FPAVE2959PH) Adult male in flight, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Jerry Cooper October 2007).
FIGURE 8 - (FPAVE2960PH) Adult male in flight, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Sylvia Qu May 2008).
FIGURE 9 - (FPAVE2961PH) Adult male found recently dead head detail, Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith December 2008).
FIGURE 10 - (FPAVE2962PH) Same individual upperside (Paul Smith December 2008).
FIGURE 11 - (FPAVE2963PH) Same individual underside (Paul Smith December 2008).
FIGURE 12 - (FPAVE2964PH) Same individual tail (Paul Smith December 2008).
FIGURE 13 - (FPAVE3944PH) Juvenile, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith December 2010).
VIDEO - (FPAVE2965VI) Adult male, Estancia Kanguery, Parque Nacional San Rafael (Paul Smith April 2010).
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Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Roberto Derna, Hemme Batjes, Jerry Cooper, Frank Fragano and Sylvia Qu and is used with their permission.