Male Kestrel (Northern) (Falco sparvarius)

Our smallest falcon, the kestrel is also the most familiar and widespread in North America. In open country it is commonly seen perched on roadside wires, or hovering low over a field on rapidly beating wings, waiting to pounce on a grasshopper. Kestrels nest in cavities in trees; in places where there are few large dead snags to provide nest sites, they may rely on nesting boxes put up for them by conservationists. This sculpture depicts a male Kestrel gliding along the fields, looking for prey. The bird is about 10” long, but the wire adds about 2 ½ feet to the sculpture’s length. The bird is carved out of Tupelo wood while the reed, which is made of titanium and is grounded in a piece of green granite, is flexible enough for the bird to move in the slightest breeze.All paints are acrylic.