The Story
I made this photo of an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) at Reserva Natural La Palmita in Trinidad, Casanare, Colombia. The American Kestrel usually hunts by perching and scanning the ground for prey, though it also hunts from the air and sometimes hovers. It eats grasshoppers and other insects, lizards, mice and small birds. It nests in cavities in trees, cliffs and buildings. The female lays three to seven eggs, and both sexes help incubate. La Palmita’s research center has recorded 250 bird species and 39 bat species in the flooded savannas of Trinidad. IUCN lists the American Kestrel as Least Concern, with a decreasing population.
I used a Pentax K-1 with the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 for this one, at 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100. La Palmita conserves its flooded savannas through its cattle ranching and has welcomed visitors since 2013, so every stay supports sustainable tourism in the region.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) belongs to the family Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2025), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List