American kestrel calling

North America’s smallest falcon, but not the quietest — this one perched on an old fence post near the lake and let out a sharp series of calls, probably announcing territory to a rival nearby. The rufous back and black facial markings make kestrels one of the easier raptors to identify at a glance.

Why it matters

American kestrels have declined significantly across parts of their range over the past few decades, likely due to a combination of habitat loss and competition for nest cavities, which makes healthy populations around open habitat like the Great Salt Lake’s shoreline worth paying attention to.

Getting the shot

Shot from below to keep the weathered post as a natural perch line against open sky, waiting through several silent minutes for the bird to call again. f/14 held enough depth of field to keep both the post’s texture and the kestrel’s feathers crisp.