Kestrel Taking FLight

bulldurham · Dec 3, 2016

For those of you unfamiliar with a Kestrel, it's a member of the Falcon family and is just about the size of a Robin with the speed of a Kingfisher and the agility of a Barn Swallow.

bulldurham · Dec 3, 2016

Bumpity bump bump

snowbear · Dec 3, 2016

I like the composition in this one - the way the tree points to the bird.

Robin-sized? I always figured they were larger.

bulldurham · Dec 3, 2016

Not even sure they are big as a Robin, truth told but I've never been able to get close enough to measure one

Donde · Dec 4, 2016

American Robin: 25cm, American Kestrel: 27cm so Kestrel is slightly larger (length) but very close.

ZombiesniperJr · Dec 4, 2016

Nice shot of an anoyying falcon the ones here are very jumpy lucky to get within 30 to 40 feet of the ones here they normaly dont let us get more then 60feet close to them

bulldurham · Dec 4, 2016

ZombiesniperJr said:
Nice shot of an anoyying falcon the ones here are very jumpy lucky to get within 30 to 40 feet of the ones here they normaly dont let us get more then 60feet close to them

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I am pretty sure he was about 60 feet out as well. 500mm and the D810 crop factor makes for some decent captures though I'd love to get closer and really get some sharp feather detail of one in flight.

Dean_Gretsch · Dec 4, 2016

Those wings look long in proportion to the body. Nice catch.

Achaicus · Dec 5, 2016

Most things you might compare a Kestrel to that are similar in weight are longer and shorter winged. That combination gives them more agility and a lighter wing loading which makes hovering easier compared with similar sized birds.

The Sibley guide gives the following:
Kestrel- 4.1 oz, L 9" and W 22" (L 22.8cm, W 55.9cm)
Robin- 2.7 oz, L 10", W 17" (L 25.4cm, W 43.2)
Blue Jay-3 oz, L 11.5", W 19" (L 29.2cm, W 48.2cm)
Belted Kingfisher- 5 oz, L 13", W 20" (L 33cm, W 50.8)

The book states that measurements can vary up to +/- 5% and weight by as much as +/-30%. I don't know for sure if these measurements reflect the old dead and stretched with reasonable force measurements or life like pose measurements. I'm inclined to think it is the latter.