American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)

This feather comes from the American Kestrel, North America's smallest falcon. The bird is roughly the size of a Mourning Dove but with a powerful, predatory build. Males are particularly colorful with slate-blue wings and a rufous back and tail, while females are more uniform rufous with heavy barring.

Slate grey to dark charcoal base on the dorsal side with a distinct rufous/cinnamon margin on the outer edge. The ventral side is lighter silver-grey. This coloration is diagnostic of a male American Kestrel's primary feathers.

Densely interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout most of the vane for aerodynamic flight, transitioning to a small plumulaceous (fluffy) section at the base (superior umbilicus).

The surface is smooth, stiff, and slightly glossy. The trailing edge is flexible while the leading edge is very rigid to withstand high wind pressure during diving.

Bold slate-grey color with a distinctive cinnamon-brown (rufous) edge; sharp asymmetry; small size for a raptor feather; stiff dark rachis.

Open landscapes including grasslands, meadows, deserts, parklands, and agricultural fields; often seen perched on telephone wires.

Widely distributed across North and South America. Year-round resident in most of the U.S.; northern populations migrate to the southern U.S. and Central America in winter.

Apex predator of invertebrates and small vertebrates. They play a critical role in controlling populations of grasshoppers, beetles, and small rodents.

Merlin (Falco columbarius) feathers are similar but usually lack the bright rufous edging and tend to be darker or more heavily barred.

Kestrels are one of the few raptors that can hover in place by flying into the wind. They can see ultraviolet light, which allows them to track the urine trails of voles and mice on the ground.

Good condition. There is slight fraying at the tip and a small split (void) in the mid-vane, suggesting it was naturally molted after significant use.

Don’t remember