Birds · La Saladita, Guerrero

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Spanish: Cernícalo americano

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Photographed by vctrndr on iNaturalist

The American kestrel (Falco sparverius), is the smallest and most common falcon in North America. Formerly called "sparrowhawk", a misnomer as it is a true falcon and is unrelated genetically to the Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus. 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 also ranges to South America and is a well-established species that has Most often recorded in Nov, Dec.

TaxonomyAves › Falconiformes › Falconidae
Local records3 research-grade observations within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records129,436 on iNaturalist
Recorded here2011 – 2021
Months recorded near La Saladita
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Birds guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/falco-sparverius/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.