Male American Kestrel
This gorgeous falcon of North and South America is often seen perched on overhead power lines surveying the ground for prey, which can include insects like grasshoppers and dragonflies, lizards, frogs and voles. They will also chase down small birds, like sparrows. On the day I encountered this colourful male, it was perched on the top of a tree at the roadside. Usually skittish when being observed, this individual paid me little attention, only flying off a couple minutes later when a truck roared by between us. Photographed in May 2022.
