The American kestrel is a brilliant small falcon... One of my great moments on a bicycle was looking up at an American kestrel flying above me on the same direction on the same trail. He had a great speed advantage!
The 6/5/2023 NY Times had an article about the mystery surrounding the decline in the number of American kestrels. They are not considered an endangered species, but since 1970 the population is down by half.
My limited experience of the species was in the vast Wisconsin highland forest. I wonder if there has been a general deterioration of the forest habitat due to climate change.