American Kestrel

The American Kestrel is a fairly common, year-round resident on campus, mirroring its general status and distribution in southern California. It is most frequently seen on campus perched on the utility poles along East Campus Circle.

High Count: 5, Average Count: 1-2

Male American Kestrels can be identified by the two vertical black stripes on their white face, slaty blue cap and wings, rusty red back and tail, and cream-colored underparts with black spots. Females have the two vertical black stripes on a white face, reddish brown head and upperparts, reddish brown tail with narrow brown barring, and cream-colored underparts with brown streaking. The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America.