birdsofpreyinflorida

American Kestrel

The American Kestrel, Falco sparverius, is our nation’s smallest falcon with a wingspan of no more than 24 inches. It is a common sight throughout the US including in Florida from the panhandle to the central part of the state. Kestrels are common winter visitors in southern Florida.
Look for American Kestrels in areas that are open with a few trees and low-growing vegetation. Kestrels adapt to human-created pastures and parks. Longleaf pine forests are perfect habitats for breeding.
An American Kestrel’s diet is made up of mostly insects such as grasshoppers, dragonflies, butterflies, and beetles. They will also eat small birds and rodents including lizards, frogs, mice, bats, and songbirds. Most often the Kestrel will swoop down from a perch to catch prey. When in open areas, the kestrel will fly over the area and catch the prey in flight. Kestrels generally hunt during the day.
Males search for places suitable for a nest. He will show the female a variety of options including cavities in a tree such as an old woodpecker hole, crevices in buildings, or human-provided nesting boxes. The female will choose the nest and lay 4-5 eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for up to a month. The male provides most of the food until the young fledge when they are about 1 month old.
Although American Kestrels are currently abundant, there is still cause for concern. Clearing of land for development, cutting down the dead trees they rely on for nesting sites, and pesticides that destroy their food sources have caused their populations to decline by 1.39% each year between 1966 and 2017. (North American Breeding Bird Survey.) This puts them on track for a population decline of 50% by 2075.
Consider putting up a nest box for a pair of American Kestrels. Learn who is running for office in your city, county, and state. Ask what their platform is on environmental justice. Advocate for Florida’s wildlife including American Kestrels and their habitats before it’s too late. Because: Extinct is Forever.
Photo Credit: David Gale
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Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl
The majestic Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus, is a delightful sight to behold. This bird of prey is common throughout Florida and can be found in forests, wetlands, yards, and cities. The piercing yellow eyes of the Great Horned Owl do not move in their sockets. The owl will swivel its neck more than 180 degrees in both directions to see its surroundings. You have most likely heard the owl’s unmistakable, hauntingly deep hooting voice.
Female Great Horned Owls lay 1 brood each year of 1-4 eggs in a nest in a tree. The nest is made of sticks and is usually one built by another species. The owls may line the nest with leaves, fur and feathers from their prey, or feathers plucked from their own chests. They may also nest on the ground, in the cavity of a tree, in abandoned human structures, or on a platform designed especially for them.
Great Horned Owls have talons that exert up to 28 pounds of force when used to sever the spines of captured prey. Meals consist of frogs, rats, squirrels, crows, doves, and more. They will snack on insects, scorpions, and reptiles. Great Horned Owls also prey on animals larger than themselves including other owls, Osprey, and falcons.
Great Horned Owls mate for life. The couple defends their territory together but they roost separately. Look for them diving for prey near dawn and dusk. You may also witness raptors, crows, or songbirds loudly calling them, pecking at them, and dive-bombing them with just cause. As long as Great Horned Owls occupy their territory, the other birds risk becoming their prey.
According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, Great Horned Owl populations declined by 33% between 1966 and 2015 due to over-hunting. Today, it is illegal to hunt owls and their populations naturally fluctuate depending on the prey available.
Photo Credit: Paul Waller
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