{"id":166815,"date":"2025-02-14T06:15:24","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T13:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=166815"},"modified":"2025-02-14T09:11:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T16:11:15","slug":"american-kestrel-mating-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/14\/american-kestrel-mating-series\/","title":{"rendered":"American Kestrel Mating Series"},"content":{"rendered":"

Readers already know that “AOM” was banded as a nestling on Antelope Island in the early summer of 2021. He’s been sighted on the island and reported multiple times since then, but he hasn’t been known to choose a mate or breed.<\/p>\n

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So four days ago you can imagine my excitement when I spotted him next to a female kestrel on the roof of one of the island’s pavilions. At first I wasn’t absolutely sure it was him but it soon became perfectly obvious that it was.<\/p>\n

For several minutes they pretty much ignored each other.<\/p>\n

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But when they started making googly eyes at each other I wondered if something interesting and wonderful might be about to happen.<\/p>\n

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At first it was hard to figure out what was going on. Both birds stood erect and then the female walked resolutely in front of, and then past, AOM. I think AOM might have been just as confused as I was.<\/p>\n

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As she continued to walk almost to the end of the roof, AOM appeared to protest her walking away from him.<\/p>\n

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Then she stopped and raised her tail, often lowering her head at the same time, in what I interpreted as a solicitation posture. Apparently, AOM interpreted it the same way.<\/p>\n

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He wasn’t about to turn down an offer like that, so he launched in her direction and…<\/p>\n

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landed on her lower back with the intention of mating with her.<\/p>\n

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With birds, the requisite “cloacal kiss” is a difficult maneuver with all those wingtips and tails in the way. AOM struggled to get into position, even though…<\/p>\n

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the female tried to make it as easy for him as possible.<\/p>\n

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I believe this was the moment their union was consummated.<\/p>\n

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After it was over, AOM made a…<\/p>\n

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quick getaway. This is the photo I posted two days ago.<\/p>\n

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The first photo I got in the burst after he landed back on the roof.<\/p>\n

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Soon the female took off but I was slow on the trigger so I wasn’t happy with any of my flight shots of her.<\/p>\n

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I had much better luck when AOM took off shortly after she left. This is the photo I posted three days ago.<\/p>\n

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After both birds had left the roof of the pavilion I began to drive away. That’s when I spotted the female perched on a dumpster in a nearby parking lot. I never saw AOM again that morning.<\/p>\n

I took nearly 250 photos of the two kestrels together and most of them were taken during their mating, or just prior or after it occurred, so it wasn’t easy to choose photos for this presentation. I had to leave a lot of good ones out.<\/p>\n

That said, I was pleased with the timing of today’s post. Happy Valentine’s Day!<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

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Notes: <\/em><\/p>\n