Kestrels, colorful little birds with a big attitude, are the smallest members of the falcon family, not much bigger than a robin.
If you were a falconer in 15th-century England with very little social status you'd be flying a kestrel, the bird at the bottom of the falcon scale.
Kings flew eagles, and so on down to knaves, aka boys, and servants who could only fly kestrels. Not such a poor choice, really. There are people who say American kestrels are the fiercest falcons on the continent.
Kestrels are found throughout Minnesota, nesting migrants mostly with a few overwintering south of the metro area. They are often seen hunting along roadsides from telephone wires or trees or hovering over fields, scanning for prey.
The kestrel population in North America has fallen nearly 50% since the 1970s. Counts are taken during the U.S. Geological Survey's annual breeding bird survey (a citizen volunteer effort).
The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota can attest to lower numbers. Lori Arent, assistant director at the center, told me that kestrels once were common patients at the clinic. Kestrels are now seen occasionally.
"Twenty years ago, the clinic admitted close to 100 kestrel patients annually. In 2018 that number was 17, in 2019 16, last year 29," Arent said. At midsummer this year the number was 9.
"We don't know what's caused the decline," she said.