American Kestrels are the smallest North American falcon, being about the size of a domestic cockatiel. They are also fairly common and can be seen perched along fence posts. They eat small rodents, lizards, and invertebrates. They don't live for very long in the wild but may live 10+ years in captivity. They are also one of the two permitted birds for novice falconers (the other is the Red-tailed Hawk).

Since this is a black-and-white illustration, I wanted the Kestrel's sex to be ambiguous. I opted for a juvenile kestrel. Juveniles have streaks on their breast. If I had drawn an adult male the breast would have been plain.