r/ColoradoBirding

Roadrunner in front of my house in Aurora. I don't think they're normally found around here.

🦅 North America's smallest falcon used to hunt from every fence post and telephone wire in the country. Since 1970, we've lost half of them. While bald eagles, ospreys, and red-tailed hawks all bounced back from the DDT era, the American kestrel kept declining — quietly, with almost no one noticing.

The leading suspect is vanishing grasshopper populations. But the fix starts with a cavity she can nest in.

🦅 The build:

- Interior at least 9" x 9" floor, 15" tall

- Entry hole 3" diameter

- ¾" untreated pine or plywood

- 2" of wood shavings on the floor — she doesn't build a nest

- Ventilation holes near the top, drainage holes in the floor

- Hinged panel for annual cleanout

🦅 The placement:

- 10-30 feet high on a pole or isolated tree

- Face entry south or southeast

- Open field, pasture, or meadow with short grass — she hunts from above

- Clear sightline in front of the entry for takeoff and landing

- At least 100 yards from tree lines — Cooper's hawks ambush kestrels near woodland edges

🦅 What to expect:

- Install by late winter — males begin scouting cavities in early spring

- She hovers over open fields on rapidly beating wings, scanning for grasshoppers

- 4-5 eggs per clutch, incubation takes about 30 days

- You'll hear her rapid "klee-klee-klee" call before you ever see her

Every other raptor in America recovered. This one's still waiting — and a box in the right field could be the reason she stays. 🌿

#KestrelBox #AmericanKestrel #BackyardWildlife #WildlifeHabitat #RaptorConservation

I was walking the trails in south Highlands Ranch tonight as darkness fell and my Merlin app identified a new-to-me bird call as a Common Poorwill. It sounded very similar to the app's example audio. Has anyone else seen/heard one in the area? The app said it is an unlikely bird for here and now.

I don't think I'll ever get used to the idea we have Pelicans here (5 spotted today!), always cool seeing them. Add to the list geese (my arch nemesis as a runner in this city lol), cormorants, a kingfisher and I lost count at about 20 snowy egrets in a 1mi stretch around Suncor, I've never seen so many in such a small area.

A new lifer for me! I was surprised at how vibrant these little fellows are. They hung out around my feeder for a few hours, so I'm hopeful I'll see more of them!

pics of Bullock's orioles, American golfinch, lesser goldfinch and spotted towhee

Love these guys. Wasn’t sure of their arrival timing this year with the odd weather patterns, but they showed up right as usual the first week of May. Have had the same pair near my place here in Denver for the third year in a row. Such a treat.

It really is a phenomenal spot if you want to watch some birds of prey. Some shots from this past Wednesday evening around sunset.

Watched an immature baldy chasing a red-tailed hawk for its dinner then land with 2 other immature eagles in a field (which I've never seen them do before). Didn't get great pics of that, but it was too cool not to share what I had.

El Paso County 5.7.26

One of my pics from Arvada on a Windwalker salvia.

Beautiful birds. Was waiting to see if he'd come down lower for a better shot, but still looks vibrant against the bright blue sky.