(The experts are telling me this is an American Kestrel female! Thanks everyone...blogger friends are so helpful! It didn't seem reddish, but we weren't that close to see.)
We saw this bird while out driving around yesterday. It's nothing I've seen before.
Looking at the bird book we are wavering between a Peregrine Falcon or a Merlin?
It wasn't real big......at first I just thought it was a large bird around the size of a Mockingbird or Jay sitting in the tree. Then it dive bombed something on the ground, while we were trying to get the car turned around.
The streak on the face is very pronounced. It looks most like a Merlin in my Roger Tory Peterson guide, but I really don't know.
Anyone know for sure what it is??
It wasn't real big......at first I just thought it was a large bird around the size of a Mockingbird or Jay sitting in the tree. Then it dive bombed something on the ground, while we were trying to get the car turned around.
The streak on the face is very pronounced. It looks most like a Merlin in my Roger Tory Peterson guide, but I really don't know.Anyone know for sure what it is??
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15 comments:
Hi Mary, looks like a female American Kestrel to me. A beautiful bird, well done for getting those photos. I could not get near one when trying to photograph one in Iowa a few years ago.
Hi Mary. Nice photo. I have three of Wheeler's raptor photo ID books and checked for this plumage type. He shows a female Amer. kestrel with coloration like your bird (also could be a juvenile). The general head characteristics and the prominent facial stripes make it look most like an Amer kestrel (9")to me. At least, here's one amateur opinion...
I am no expert,but these birds are fairly common in our are in summer.I say it is an American Kestral.We usually see them sitting on a power line waiting for dinner to appear.
Hi Mary
Having had a look at various US Bird sites, I agree with Jenny.
I see you have done been pointed to the kestral...I think that is what it is. Aren't they wonderful?
Thanks everyone! The American Kestrel is on the same page with the 2 we thought, so I guess that means they are all related! In the drawing in my book the American Kestrel looked so "red"....I guess that is why we didn't think that was it. This bird didn't seem red. I bow to all of you experts, since we really didn't have a clue! I wish I could have gotten more shots I have several distant ones similar to that bottom shot, but no other details seem to show. American Kestrel certainly fits better for our location then the Merlin. If I'd known it was a Kestrel, I could have saved it for my "K" post! rats!
Can't help with ID but what a beautiful bird.
A x
Strawberry Jam Anne: I think everyone agrees it is an American Kestrel. It was very pretty and I would like to have watched it longer.
Isn't it great having such smart blogger friends Mary!! I'm a little late on this one but now you know!!!
Yep, American Kestrel seems to be it!
Love them - so tiny and colorful!
Cheers, Klaus
Eve: It really is! So helpful for birds that one seldom sees and can't figure out in the books.
Klaus: I guess I can't doubt it with so many voting for it. It's funny, because that was not one we considered looking at the book because it shows a red back and I guess we couldn't see the red on this one. Another life bird for me!
Mary: What a really neat shot of the Kestral. I heard some birds in the woods behind the house making a racket and I was whistling with them. The next thing I knew was one of these guyes came flying low over my head. I had never seen one around my home before this.
I'm glad you found out what it was. You know I wouldn't have been any help. :-)
Fishing Guy: We saw this one out at the Alcoa plant in Newburgh going back and forth between two small trees where he was hunting something.
2sweetnsaxy: Well...as you can see, I need all the help I can get, too!
Definitely a Kestral. It's the only one with the face pattern that bold. Notice the second strong bar behind the eye. Its as large as, or larger than the bar in front of the eye.
That is not an unusual color for the female.
Nice photos,
Troy
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