American Kestrel
American KestrelAmerican KestrelAmerican Kestrel

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Puracé National Natural Park
108 Verified records at Puracé National Natural Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest and most common falcon in the Americas. Though it has been called the American "sparrow hawk", this now obsolete vernacular name is a misnomer; the American kestrel is a true falcon, while neither the Eurasian sparrowhawk nor the other species called sparrowhawks are in the family Falconidae, hence only very distantly related to the American kestrel. It has a roughly two-to-one range in size over subspecies and sex, varying in size from about the weight of a blue jay to a mourning dove. It is a very successful species, occurring almost throughout North and South America except for the Arctic fringes of North America, and the densest tropical Amazon rainforest areas; it has evolved into 17 subspecies adapted to different environments and habitats throughout the region. It exhibits sexual dimorphism in size (females being moderately larger) and plumage, although both sexes have a rufous back with noticeable barring. Its plumage is colorful, and juveniles are similar in plumage to adults. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a American Kestrel sighting in Puracé National Natural Park, based on 108 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Puracé National Natural Park

Merlin
LC

Merlin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco columbarius

<5% · Rare
Peregrine Falcon
LC

Peregrine Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco peregrinus

<5% · Rare
Bat Falcon
LC

Bat Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco rufigularis

Insufficient data
Crested Caracara

Crested Caracara

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Caracara plancus

10–20% · With luck
Collared Forest Falcon
LC

Collared Forest Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Micrastur semitorquatus

<5% · Rare
Laughing Falcon
LC

Laughing Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Herpetotheres cachinnans

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
10–20
Feb
10–20
Mar
10–20
Apr
5–10
May
<5
Jun
5–10
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
10–20
Oct
5–10
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
40–50%
2 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
30–40%
3 El Palmar National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
30–40%
4 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
30–40%
5 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
6 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
7 Torres del Paine National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
20–30%
8 Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park 🇯🇲 Jamaica
20–30%
9 Huascarán National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
20–30%
10 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
11 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
20–30%
12 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
20–30%
13 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
14 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
15 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
20–30%
16 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
17 Lauca National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
10–20%
18 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
19 Nahuel Huapi National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
10–20%
20 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
21 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
22 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
23 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
24 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
25 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
26 Puracé National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
10–20%
27 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
28 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
29 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
30 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
31 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
32 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
33 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
5–10%
34 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
35 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
36 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
5–10%
37 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
38 Tierra del Fuego National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
5–10%
39 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
5–10%
40 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
5–10%
41 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
5–10%
42 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
43 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
5–10%
44 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
45 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
46 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
47 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
48 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
5–10%
49 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
50 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
51 Canaima National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
5–10%
52 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
53 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
54 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
55 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
56 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
57 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
58 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
59 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
60 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
61 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
62 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
63 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
64 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
65 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
66 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
67 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
68 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
69 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
70 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
71 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
72 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
73 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
74 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
75 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
76 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
77 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
78 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
79 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
80 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
81 Cajas National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
82 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
83 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
84 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
85 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
86 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
87 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
88 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
89 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
90 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
91 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
92 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
93 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
94 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
95 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
96 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
97 Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
Insufficient data
98 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
99 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
100 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
101 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
102 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
103 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
104 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
105 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
106 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
107 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
108 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
109 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
110 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
111 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
112 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
113 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
Insufficient data
114 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
115 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
116 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
117 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
118 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
Insufficient data
119 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
120 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a American Kestrel in Puracé National Natural Park?

About 12% of wildlife watchers report a American Kestrel sighting in Puracé National Natural Park, based on 108 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see American Kestrel in Puracé National Natural Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for American Kestrel in Puracé National Natural Park in our monthly data.

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