American Kestrel Hawk
by Barbara Keith
Buy the Original Mixed Media
Price
Not Specified
Dimensions
10.000 x 14.000 inches
This original mixed media is currently for sale. At the present time, originals are not offered for sale through the Barbara Keith - Website secure checkout system. Please contact the artist directly to inquire about purchasing this original.
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Title
American Kestrel Hawk
Artist
Barbara Keith
Medium
Mixed Media - Watercolor Enhanced Colored Pencil
Description
Original available. If interested, make an offer - all reasonable offers will be considered.
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest and most common falcon in North America. It has a roughly two-to-one range in size over subspecies and sex, varying in size from about the weight of a blue jay to a mourning dove. It also ranges to South America, and is a well-established species that has evolved seventeen subspecies adapted to different environments and habitats throughout the Americas. It exhibits sexual dimorphism in size (females being moderately larger) and plumage, although both sexes have a rufous back with noticeable barring. Its plumage is colorful and attractive, and juveniles are similar in plumage to adults.
The American kestrel usually hunts in energy-conserving fashion by perching and scanning the ground for prey to ambush, though it also hunts from the air. It sometimes hovers in the air with rapid wing beats while homing in on prey. Its diet typically consists of grasshoppers and other insects, lizards, mice, and small birds (e.g. sparrows). This broad diet has contributed to its wide success as a species. It nests in cavities in trees, cliffs, buildings, and other structures. The female lays three to seven eggs, which both sexes help to incubate.
Based on appearance and behavior it was for many years considered a member of the primarily European and African kestrel clade within the genus falco, but DNA analysis shows the American kestrel to actually be genetically more closely related to the larger American falcons such as the aplomado, peregrine, and prairie falcons. Though the species has not been renamed as a result of these genetic analyses, it is not actually a kestrel in the phylogenetic sense. Instead, a process of convergent evolution to fit a similar small prey niche in the ecosystem as the true kestrels has left it with similar physical characteristics and hunting methods (Wikipedia).
Complete 2020 after 15.52 hours spread over 11 days
Uploaded
June 9th, 2020
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Comments (29)
Taphath Foose
Beautiful work, Barbara!!! CONGRATULATIONS, your work is featured in "All about Birds"! I invite you to place it in the group's "Featured Image Archive" discussion thread and any other thread that is fitting!! 😊
Alexandra Vusir
Congratulations to the feature in my Birds Paintings group! Beautifiul! I invite you to place it in the group's "Featured Image Archive" Discussion.
Taphath Foose
Beautiful work, Barbara!!! Congratulations, your work is Featured in "For the Birds"! I invite you to place it in the group's "Featured Image Archive" Discussion!!
Taphath Foose
Beautiful work, Barbara!!! Congratulations, your work is Featured in "Mix Your Media"! I invite you to place it in the group's "Featured Image Archive" Discussion!!
Murray Rudd
Congratulations on being featured in the FAA Group 'Raptors.' To ensure your feature remains available over time, post your featured image(s) in the Group's 'Thanks for the Feature / Image Archive.' l/f and p if you allow pinning (https://www.pinterest.ca/tendrelimages/raptors-at-fine-art-america/)
Don Columbus
Congratulations, your work is Featured in "A Birding Group - Wings" I invite you to place it in the group's "2020 Featured Image Archive" Discussion!! L/Tweet
Madalena Lobao-Tello
My today feature and favorite on the Women Painters group. Shared on our group here and on Facebook.