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Colourful, noisy, and brash, the American Kestrel is the most endearing of North America's raptors. With its vivid rufous and blue-gray plumage, peppered with dashes of black and white, this bird of prey is instantly recognizable to both novice and expert bird watchers, whether it's diving for an insect on the wing or hovering over an open field while hunting for mice. The American Kestrel's distinctive call, readily heard from miles away, is another identifier that makes this predator more noticeable than others. There's no mistaking its klee, klee, klee, from which it received the nickname killy hawk.
In American Kestrel: Pint-Sized Predator, part natural history, part photographic exploration, renowned bird expert and master educator Kate Davis delves into the world of the American Kestrel, inviting you into the safe confines of its cavity nest and favoured habitats. You'll learn about the American Kestrel's hunting tactics and prey, breeding strategies, migration paths and patterns, and the kestrel's current status their numbers are declining, and nobody's quite sure why. Davis enthusiastically imparts the wisdom she has gained through extensive research and firsthand experience. One hundred astonishing photos shot by Davis and award-winning photographer Rob Palmer illustrate in full-colour glory the story Davis deftly weaves.
Author, educator, artist, wildlife rehabilitator, and taxidermist Kate Davis founded the nonprofit Raptors of the Rockies in 1988. The facilities house seventeen nonreleasable and falconry birds that serve as ambassadors in education programs and as models for Kate's drawings, etchings, monotype prints, welded steel sculptures, and, lately, oil paintings. She is the author of Falcons of North America, Raptors of the Rockies, and Raptors of the West, all from Mountain Press. Kate loves her Nikon D700; she's been a fan since her father got her hooked on photography as a kid. In every appearance she asks her audiences, young and old alike, to go outside and "hoot up an owl!"
Rob Palmer is recognized worldwide for his signature photographs of raptors in flight, and he has also won numerous awards for his mammal pictures. He scored top awards from the BBC, National Wildlife Federation, and Audubon Society in 2009 for some of the eagle images that appear in Raptors of the West. Rob traveled the world as the principal photographer for Sky Hunters: The Passion of Falconry. His work has appeared in numerous other books, including Falcons of North America, Prairie Owl, and On Feathered Wings: Birds In Flight. Rob conducts photography workshops in his home state of Colorado, the Rocky Mountain States, Africa, and South America.
