American Kestrel - Physical Characteristics
American Kestrel Physical Characteristics
The American Kestrel is the smallest raptor. Due to their size and coloring, they are often misidentified as songbirds. This can make it tricky to identify them. In size, they are up to 12” in length, with a wingspan of up to 24”. But don’t let their size or color fool you, they are fierce raptors.
This slender little bird of prey is about the size and shape of an American Robin or Mourning Dove. One way to tell them apart is the American Kestrel has a larger, more rounded head, and large eyes, similar to a Falcon.
They have long, narrow wings with a square tipped tail. When the American Kestrel is in flight their wings will appear bent with their wingtips swept back. They are quick like bullets and can reach speeds of up to 39 MPH.
The Kestrel’s coloring is striking, they are reddish brown and beige, with rusty brown and black spots. Females are a darker, with chocolate brown color on top, while Males have blue coloring on their wings. From a distance and depending on lighting, these colors can look peach, orange, even yellow. This is partly why they are difficult to identify in nature.
American Kestrels have a wide habitat and are often found in deserts, open areas, grasslands, and meadows. They are ground hunters and are often perched on the fence line near roadsides, or near open fields with little obstruction. Kestrels also frequent telephone wires for areas with more vegetation and trees.
They are extremely patient and impatient hunters at the same time. Some will be seen sitting on the same perch all day long, while others move from perch to perch every few minutes. Once perched, they focus in with precision, scanning the environment for their next meal. Once they spot their prey, they catch it with one or both of their feet. They may be small, but they are mighty.
Kestrels have a diverse menu selection consisting of insects, rodents, birds, and invertebrates. Their favorite menu items are grasshoppers, beetles, dragonflies, voles, mice, bats and small songbirds. They have also been known to eat snakes, lizards and frogs. Some have even reported seeing Kestrels taking down squirrels and northern flickers.
Kiting is a common sight with American Kestrels. They hover and remain stationary in the air, flying into the wind at the same speed as the air is flowing, allowing them to stay in place relative to the ground beneath them. They do this to improve their chances of spotting prey on the ground below.
However, they must keep their heads completely still so their vision is not blurred. Kestrels use many vertebrae and muscles in their necks to keep their eyes focused, this behavior is commonly seen as head bobbing or head tilting. This helps them to focus on what they are seeing with precision and clarity.
Kestrels have a unique vocalization pattern that is high pitched and often sounds like a scream. Their most distinct call is the klee-klee-klee alarm call which is an obscenely loud scream sound. The male call sounds like a rolling whine, which is quite interesting. The call that is most intriguing is the begging calls, which are a series of short screams.
The American Kestrel is typically monogamous and will remain with their partner for several years. They nest in tree cavities, relying on the holes from woodpeckers, or in human made nest box structures. They will also nest in rock crevices, the cracks of buildings, and natural tree hallows.
The male will locate a nest sight and show it to the female for final approval. Once they secure their nesting space, they do not spend time redecorating, as they do not use nesting materials. If the box does have material inside, the female will hollow out a shallow depression for the eggs.
During courtship, the female will fly slowly with fluttering wingbeats. The male will continue to soar high, with intricate dives to impress her, while calling to her with his mating call. During this ritual, the male will bring food to the female and pass it to her in flight.
Once mating is complete, the female will lay up to five eggs and incubate them for just over a month. Once hatched, it takes about four weeks for the nestlings to become fledglings, where they will begin to explore their surroundings.
They stumble around as fledglings for a couple more weeks, staying close to their parents before they are ready to begin the journey to the independent life. Once their new life begins, they are often spotted with other Kestrel juveniles gathering in groups.
American Kestrel - Symbolism
AMERICAN KESTREL SYMBOLISM
As Spirit Animals, American Kestrels symbolize clarity, focus, balance, creativity, inspiration, passion, inner child, the trickster, and shapeshifting. They guide us on our path of inner discovery, helping us navigate the complexities of our Inner Child landscape while helping us find our inspiration and passion in life.
SYMBOLIC KEYWORDS
· Clarity
· Focus
· Balance
· Creativity
· Inspiration
· Passion
· Inner Child
· Shapeshifting
· Trickster
KEYWORD SYMBOLISM DEFINITIONS
Clarity/Focus/Balance
For the American Kestrel, kiting is a common sight to see. They hover and remain stationary in the air, flying into the wind at the same speed. This maneuver allows them to stay in place while scanning the ground beneath them. They do this to improve their chances of spotting prey within the environment below.
In order for this to be successful, they must keep their heads completely still so their vision is not blurred.
Kestrels use many vertebrae and muscles in their necks to keep their eyes focused. This behavior is commonly seen as head bobbing or head tilting and this move helps them focus on what they are seeing with precision.
The American Kestrel symbolizes clarity, focus, and balance. There are times in our lives when we are presented with a new path, an entirely new direction in life, but fears and doubts creep in and plague us. We ask ourselves questions like, what if this, and what if that. It’s an endless cycle of compulsive rumination.
With clarity and focus we can stop this never-ending loop in its tracks. The American Kestrel reminds us with trust, courage and dedication, we can embrace change, soar above the circumstances, and achieve our goals and dreams. If we remain focused on our purpose, we allow the power of the wind to guide us exactly where we need to go, easy and effortlessly.
Creativity/Inspiration
Of all raptor species, the American Kestrel has the brightest, boldest, and most colorful features. Their vibrant plumage symbolizes creativity and inspiration. They teach us to embrace our creative nature and to tap into the wellspring of our imagination.
We each have our own unique gifts to share with the world. For some it may be creative arts, like painting or jewelry making. While for others creativity can come in the form of finding a new career path, starting a project or a new hobby, or blogging about their favorite topics.
It is often the hobbies that we are most passionate about that guide us to our true purpose. The American Kestrel reminds us to dream big, reach for the stars, and embrace life’s opportunities. With freedom on their wings, we can let our imagination soar, and let creativity take flight.
American Kestrel - Symbolism Continued
Passion
With the American Kestrels bright and bold plumage, with blue, orange, rust, black and white, they are the most vibrant colored raptor. They remind us to stay true to our soul path and not let shiny and sparkly things sway us from our purpose in life.
It is easy to get caught up in survival mode in the physical world, we do after all, have debts to pay and contracts to uphold. However, the American Kestrel reminds us that following our passion does not mean that we will lose earthly security. Things may be tight for a while as we embark on our vision, but with focus and precision, we will achieve our dreams.
When we are fearless and follow our calling, we are following our soul path, and when we do so, things have a natural way of falling into place. At times, in the most astonishing and unexpected ways.
Inner Child
Of all raptor species, the American Kestrel is the smallest. With their bright coloring, they are often misidentified as songbirds. The Kestrel is a savage survivor, and they use this skill to their advantage. They are often spotted perched next to Starlings, Doves and even smaller birds like Sparrows. They camouflage themselves to adapt to their surroundings.
On the flip side, the Kestrel is also known as the trickster. They are often seen chasing and harassing raptors like Red-Tailed Hawks. They do not let their size get in their way and are often antagonistic, acting like bullies. Although for the American Kestrel this is most common during nesting season, they also just like to do it for the fun of it.
Both of these traits connect to our Inner Child landscape. Whether we had a rough childhood, often finding ourselves blending into the surroundings, or we were the bullies, acting out aggressively towards others. The Kestrel can guide us on our path of inner discovery, helping us get to the root cause of our inner struggles.
This path will take us back to our childhood, where most of our pain and trauma resides. Although Inner Child work can be difficult, it can also be a positive and therapeutic experience that can bring hope and soul deep recovery.
American Kestrels also symbolize creativity, inspiration and passion. They serve as guides as we begin to work with the positive energy of our Inner Child. Helping us remember the good aspects, when we were filled with wonder and that anything was possible. Even in our darkest times, we could always dream.
Working with the energy of the American Kestrel, they teach us to release the hold of the past, and the painful memories that keep us stuck in our lives. In doing so, we make space within, and we can embrace the positive energy of our Inner Child, helping us embark on a true path to healing.
Shapeshifting / Trickster
The American Kestrel is often misidentified as a songbird. Due to their small size and coloration, they can blend into their environment seamlessly and they use this skill to their advantage. Often you can find Kestrel’s perched in the trees with Starlings, Doves and even smaller birds like Sparrows.
Kestrels are extremely agile in flight, they zig and zag, dip and dive at speeds of up to 39 MPH. They are also known to harass raptors and often chase them, nipping at their tails. During Spring and Summer months it may be to protect their nesting area.
However, the American Kestrel trickster energy can emerge at any time. It is not uncommon to see them chasing Red-Tailed Hawks. It can get quite aggressive at times. Even an unsuspecting Turkey Vulture doing an innocent fly over is not immune to the Kestrels reindeer games.
The Kestrel reminds us to use caution with the masks we wear. In shadow form, the Trickster wants to get into your heart and soul, to learn all your secrets. They shower you with love and attention, creating a false sense of security. Once in, they manipulate and break boundaries, often causing confusion and chaos.
In their positive energy, the Trickster moves through the intentions of their soul. They choose to act consciously, knowing what they are doing and why, acknowledging their motivations, while understanding their own intentions. In the light, they are open and vulnerable, opening their soul to those who are open with them.
Self-awareness is the first step in integrating the Trickster archetype. Understanding our motivations, behaviors and why we think the way that we do, can guide us to release old wounds from the past that cause the Trickster shadow to emerge.
American Kestrel - Spirit Animal Symbolism
AMERICAN KESTREL SPIRIT ANIMAL
As a Spirit Animal, the American Kestrel guides us through the complexities of our Inner Child Archetype. They teach us to embrace and harness our emotions, while discovering our creativity, inspiration and passion. This energy can guide us to discover our true nature, while helping us navigate our path to healing.
American Kestrel and the Inner Child
The American Kestrel is the smallest of all raptors and due to their bright coloring, they are often misidentified as a songbird. And this fierce little bird of prey uses this to their advantage.
Often you can find Kestrel’s perched in the trees with Starlings, Doves and even smaller birds like Sparrows. One of the reasons the small birds accept this small raptor into the tribe is called Mobbing.
Like the smaller birds, the American Kestrel is also known to mob and harass raptors. And when they do, they are fierce and ruthless. Although this is most common during nesting season as a way to protect their nests, the Kestrel also likes to do it just for the hell of it.
The Kestrel wears their emotions on their wings and with childlike wonder, they chase, dive and peck at a Red-Tailed Hawk, or an unsuspecting Turkey Vulture, simply flying by. They zig and zag, almost as if they are trying to play a game of chase with the raptor.
They are brave and fearless in their pursuit, as their target is generally 60% larger than they are. To the Kestrel, physical size doesn’t matter, it’s about finding their voice, living their truth, and securing their place in the world.
The American Kestrel connects to our Inner Child Archetype. In shadow form, they represent archetypes like the bully, the gossiper, and the instigator. They also connect to the Magician and Trickster Archetype which relates to manipulation and playing the victim.
The Kestrel can guide us back to our childhood, to the root cause of our struggles. Experiences when we would have tantrums when we didn’t get our way, and to gain sympathy, we would tell anyone and everyone who would listen to us, to more severe childhood trauma.
Working with the light energy of our Inner Child Archetype, the American Kestrels symbolize clarity of mind, creativity, inspiration, and passion. They guide us to remember our passions, hopes, and dreams when we were children. When nothing was impossible, and no dream was too big to achieve.
Working with the energy of our Inner Child, we can release the hold of the past, and the painful memories that keep us stuck in our current existence. In doing so, we make space within, and we can embrace the positive energy of our Inner Child, helping us embark on a true path to healing.
Inner Child Work
Connecting Spirit Animal symbolism to Inner Work, Inner Child Work and Shadow Work, can serve as a powerful guide on our inner world journey. Through Inner Child work we can learn the various stages of childhood development. Through this process we can discover areas from our past where we missed these crucial lessons for growth.
Given the complexities of life, especially during childhood, it is quite simple to miss these key areas of development. As we get older, and experience more pain and trauma, we lack the skills to cope because we never learned to properly process emotions and the traumatic experiences from our past. As a result, our fears grow deeper, and our shadows manifestations become darker.
Inner Work allows us to find balance in our emotional, mental, and spiritual landscape, guiding us to process our experiences in a healthy way. With self-reflection, we can deeply explore our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and behavior patterns. Allowing us to identify and eliminate blockages and conflicts that take place within.
As we get to the root cause of our inner struggles, we can work through the complex memories, emotions, and fears to heal the wounds from the past and release the hold they have over us. When we embark on this journey, it takes us back to childhood.
For some, childhood may have been normal and nothing particularly special, while for others it was a deeply painful ordeal. Whether our struggles manifested at home or at school, it is quite often our most difficult experiences that offer the most profound insight into the lessons we need to learn in life.
Working with the energy of our Inner Child allows us to release our painful childhood wounds, allowing us to view each experience symbolically and find the lesson that each experience was serving to teach. As we gain the wisdom from each experience, we make space within for our Inner Child to shine through.
Our Inner Child represents our imagination, creativity, feelings, emotions, and our hopes and dreams. Inner Child work gives us space inside to go within and explore our true feelings and the parts of our personality that were rejected in our youth. Giving us a safe space to embrace our emotions when we were children, in a healthy way.
As we learn to balance the complexity of our emotional landscape, we develop self-esteem and emotional stability. We see through the illusions of our fears and outdated tribal beliefs, and we begin to embrace the wisdom from our Inner Child Archetype. We begin to work with this energy in a positive way and start making choices that direct meaningful change into our lives.
American Kestrel - Totem & Power Animal Symbolism
AMERICAN KESTREL TOTEM ANIMAL
For those born under the American Kestrel totem, they are intuitive, lighthearted, good natured, creative, confident, and highly focused. They tend to be quite social and have large families or groups of friends. They enjoy the company of others especially if it’s a new place or adventure.
Kestrel people are highly focused and driven. When they set their sights on a goal, nothing stands in their way to achieve it. They are quite confident and own who they are, it seems nothing can rattle them.
Those born under the Kestrel totem strive to honor their true nature, even though it can be difficult to keep the masks at bay. They tend to like to be the center of attention and all the things to all the people, so it can be a balancing act to stay firmly grounded in their spiritual center.
American Kestrel folks are highly creative, and they may be involved in arts or music, writing, interior design, or graphic design. They love to create and often work with various mediums. Kestrel people like to be around creatives and enjoy empowering others and being around like-minded individuals.
AMERICAN KESTREL POWER ANIMAL
As a Power Animal, the American Kestrel teaches us with clarity and focus we can find our inspiration and achieve our goals and dreams.
The American Kestrel has excellent sight, despite their tiny head and eye structure. One way they adapt is by kiting. They will hover and remain stationary to zero in and improve their chances of spotting prey on the ground below.
However, they must use laser focus and keep their heads completely still so their vision is not blurred. Kestrels use many vertebrae and muscles in their necks to keep their eyes focused, this behavior is commonly seen as head bobbing or head tilting. This helps them to focus on what they are seeing with precision and clarity.
The American Kestrel symbolizes clarity, focus and balance and they teach us to embrace our imagination and find our creative center. It is the vision from our heart and soul that serves as our guide through our life journey. Through Soul Work, we can discover our purpose in life.
Although many believe that our purpose in life is our career path, that is not necessarily the case. As tribal beings we often measure ourselves and others based on job, title, salary and power. But this is not our purpose in life, our purpose is to learn our lessons from the past and embody the wisdom from each experience in our daily lives.
Lessons in forgiveness, humility, endurance and nonjudgement are just a few of our Soul Life Lessons. For many their lesson is in forgiveness, and the ability to forgive in all circumstances. While for others their purpose is to learn compassion and to fully embody this trait in their everyday lives.
This can include embarking on a career path that provides opportunities to offer compassion. That could be working as a therapist, with children, or animals. Compassion has many expressions, and the possibilities are endless as to how our lives can change when we embrace the wisdom from our lessons and experiences in life.
The American Kestrel reminds us with trust, courage and dedication, we can forge a new path in life and achieve our goals and dreams. If we remain focused on our purpose, we allow the power of the wind to guide us exactly where we need to go, easy and effortlessly.
American Kestrel - Historical, Cultural, Religious Symbolism
AMERICAN KESTREL HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM
Native American
In Native American spiritual traditions, the American Kestrel is symbolic of awareness, sharp wit, patience, and the skilled hunter. In many cultures, the Kestrel represents vigilance, protection and vision. With their size they have the ability to get into areas larger raptors cannot, and with laser focus they can zero in on their prey with success.
Celtic
In Celtic spiritual traditions, the American Kestrel is symbolic of flight. With their ability to kite for extended periods of time and soar effortlessly they represent the freedom through the vastness of the sky. They are also symbolic of joy and creative energy.
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