Well, check out this beautiful couple! Taken on Sunday, I was actually at this spot to check on an owl nest. While there, I heard the unmistakable call of these falcons and began searching for them.
It appeared there was a bit of drama going on as there was a third female and she was quite intent on stealing away a mate. This pretty lady though would have no part of that and stood by her man, ensuring the other female never got close and preventing her handsome spouse from straying too far.
My time with them actually yielded what are probably my best pics of a mated pair of American kestrels to date. I have gotten pics of pairs before but always on a wire so having them on a natural perch is a very welcome change.
In case you didn’t know, the male is on the left, the female on the right. As with most raptors, the female is the larger one. Additionally, with American kestrels, the plumage of the male and the female are quite different as you can tell. The male, most notably, when viewed from the side and behind, has some gorgeous blue coloring to it.
Taken in Thornton, Colorado.
