Jacques
American Kestrel Ambassador
Male
2023 / Adult
Imprinted
About Jacques
A pool maintenance person found Jacques in a pool skimmer while he was working. Jacques showed signs of being imprinted upon arrival and already had falconry equipment on his leg. He appeared comfortable around humans, and was deemed non-releasable for this reason. He was quickly transferred to the education team and has become a welcome addition.
Jacques was named after Jacques Cousteau, a French naval officer and oceanographer who invented the ‘aqualung’ in 1943.
Description
The American kestrel is one of the smallest falcons and they are one of the few raptors that the sex can be distinguished by the color of the feathers (this is known as sexual dimorphism). Males have blue-gray on their wings, a light chest and belly with dark polka-dots, and a barred tail. The female has rufous wings with black bars across them, a light chest and belly with darker streaks, and a striped pattern on the tail.
Habitat
American Kestrels are found in habitats ranging from deserts and grasslands to alpine meadows. You’re most likely to see them perching on telephone wires along roadsides, in open country with short vegetation and few trees.
Range
American Kestrels are found from central Alaska, through parts of Canada, throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Life Span
American kestrels live 2 – 10 years in the wild and 14 – 17 years in captivity.
Prey / Food
Typical food prey includes large insects, small rodents, and small birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Babies / Nests
Kestrels lay 4 – 5 eggs in a clutch. The eggs hatch in about 28 days. Juveniles fledge (learn to fly) in about 25 days. American kestrels are cavity nesters, nesting in holes or crevices in cacti, trees, buildings, or nest boxes. They do not make these nests but take over cavity nests left vacant by other species.
Native American Folklore
To Native people, Falcon is revered as a guardian and protector. His watchful eyes and swift flight are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring safety to the tribe. They also revere Falcon’s ability to soar high in the Sky, gaining an elevated and more spiritual perspective on life.
Kachina dolls hold a special place in the history of the Hopi. Their creation and use in rituals connect Hopi people with their cultural heritage. To Hopi’s the Prairie Falcon is a runner Kachina who appears during the Soyohim ceremony. Sometimes he carries yucca whips to punish the runners he catches.
Falcon is mentioned in many American Indian creation stories; here are some examples.
In the Plains Miwok creation legend Mol-luk, Condor man, lived on the north side of Mount Diablo. His wife, the rock on which he roosted, gave birth to Wek-Wek, Prairie Falcon man. With the help of his grandfather Coyote, Wek-Wek created Native people, providing them with everything everywhere so they could live.
In the Mono creation story, Prairie Falcon and Crow were sitting on a log which projected above the waters that covered the world. They asked Duck and Coot to dive into the water and bring up some sand from the bottom. Both failed so Prairie Falcon asked Grebe to dive below the waters and bring some sand up from the bottom. When Grebe came up, he explained that the sand had slipped from his hand. Falcon and Crow looked at his hands and found sand under his fingernails. They took that sand and threw it in every direction. This is the way in which they made the world.
In another Native legend, Falcon was born from a man who fell in love with a maiden who descended from the stars. Star Maiden was one of several sisters who traveled to earth every day to dance together. One day, a great hunter named Waupee watched the sisters dancing and fell in love with the youngest maiden and resolved to marry her.
Unfortunately, whenever he approached the sisters, they fled from him. One day when the sisters came back to earth Waupee captured the youngest sister, they fell in love and had two fine sons.
One day, Star Chief gave Waupee a mission. He ordered him to hunt each animal on the earth and bring a piece of their body to the star world. The Star people, each chose an animal part and became the animal which they chose. As a reward Waupee was given his choice of animals. Waupee and his wife and sons selected falcon feathers and the four became the first falcons.
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