Birds Identified: Sparrow Hawk/American Kestrel

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Sparrow Hawk/American Kestrel has these characteristics:

• Still perching
  
• Continuous flying
  
• Larger than robin
  
• About same size as robin
  
• Mostly brownish, or with many brown streaks or spots
  
• Rust color present
  
• Blue or bright green (not dull green)
  
• Round spots on body
  
• Streaks (long spots)
  
• Cross barring
  
• Bold markings present (patches or blotches of black, white, or color)
  
• Head stripes or bands
  
• Crown patch
  
• Tail bands (across)
  
• North summer (June through August)
  
• South summer (June through August)
  
• South winter (November through February)
  
• Field habitat
  
• Continuous flying high (near or above treetops when flying)
  
• Continuous flying low (below treetops when flying)
  
• Perched high (generally above middle of trees when perched or foraging)
  
• Perched low (generally below middle of trees when perched or foraging)
  
• Short forays (flies out from perch and returns)
  
• Jerks tail or body (repeated dipping of body, or flipping or pumping of tail)
  
• Staccato and twitter call (short sharp notes or rapid series of notes: tinkling, trilling, sputtering, or percussive)
  

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