Meanings of the Kestrel Totem
I have a dear friend who obviously has the kestrel totem in her life right now and I thought it might be a good idea to discuss the meaning of this animal spirit here on my blog so that others would benefit from the knowledge from this interesting creature teacher. When my friend first ask me if we had kestrels here in the US, I thought that we might but I didn’t think that we had any near where I live. Oh my goodness was I wrong! You see, she lives across that big pond known as the Atlantic ocean and I thought that these birds of prey might be more prevalent in her area than in mine. The ones that she sees are known as the Common Kestrel and are slightly different than those found on the North American continent. The totem meanings and lessons are the same, though. Remember, we are all connected!
A few facts about the Kestrel
Before we can truly understand the lessons that any spirit animal wants to share with us; we need to know a little about the animal as it exists in the wild. Kestrels are the smallest of the Falcons. They are about the size of a mourning dove but don’t let that diminutive size (for a bird of prey anyway) fool you. These birds are not known for hunting other birds but rather feed on grasshoppers, beetles, mice and other small rodents. They have been known to take a small bird but that is not the norm.
A unique thing that a kestrel can do that most birds of any species can not is that they are able to hover in flight. They fly with great speed and precision and then just stop in mid-air to wait until the time to strike is right; then dive with a graceful accuracy to grab the food source that they spotted.
Hovering Kestrel Poster
by ddovala on Zazzle.com
It is unusual to see more than one kestrel at a time. They tend to hunt alone and we often see them perched on a wire overhead, a tall branch of a tree or even a ledge on a building. They are just as comfortable in the city as they are in the country. I didn’t realize that these small falcons are the most prevalent of the falcons found in the US until I started to research this bird totem for my friend. Since, I don’t think that I have ever noticed one, I was not aware that they can be found all over the state that I live in. I will be watching for them now.
The Lessons Of The Kestel
So, what does this animal spirit come to tell us? The main messages are that of Mental Speed, Agility and Grace. That makes some sense since this littlest of the falcon family does fly with great speed and is agile in flight along with being graceful.
It can also bring us the message of looking into past-life connections. The reason for this message is that falconry has been practiced for thousands of years. It is still practiced across the globe. There could be a connection of souls that you have shared lives with in the past when you see the kestrel enter your life.
As I told my friend, the hovering ability of the kestrel is very significant in her life right now. Her movements or decisions can be performed with great speed and precision but also the power to stop and use the flight to its fullest advantage. I feel for my friend that she is currently in a “hovering” pattern waiting for the precise moment to strike on some ideas that she has struggled with acting upon. This struggle has caused her to feel a little frustrated because she felt that she should be doing something. Now we know that she is just supposed to wait and she will know when to plunge into it with all she has. There is another aspect of this hovering gesture; patience. Once she knows the time is right; she will be able to fully commit to her activities and with the greatest of success.
If the kestrel is working with you right now just know that it is stimulating your senses so that you will have a graceful, quick and agile mind. You are being taught to use your mental faculties more effectively and more patiently so that you can capture what you most desire and need.
I have a kestral that every morning follows me a mile to my grandma’s farm THEN waits till I go home an hour or two later and follows me back any meaning to this
Thanks Bev, I have always been intrigued by and drawn to birds of prey 🦅 with their speed, Grace and agility so amazing. I have lately seen kestrels hovering on so so many occasions and this links with such a time in my life to hover and be patient.
Thank you 🙏
I had a sweat lodge and in the
morning
At my front door is a perfectly frozen American kestrel. Interesting I thought. What a beautiful bird. What is the spiritual meaning? Has something died in me?
The morning of my only sons funeral service. a little bird hopped into the road, about to be attacked by a feral cat. I sped out with a stick, and tried so hard to let the mama come back to get it. In the interim, I called our local D>E>C>…. Between this cat and the road, I didn’t know how much longer I could stand guard before I had to leave for my son’s calling hours. The D.E.C officer, Whos last name was “powers” listened intently, as I explained I knew not to touch it, but feared the cat would get him before the mama could. He found it!!! With raptors he said-a storm can catch the wings, too mighty yet for its body-and toss it to the ground. He took it to Eagle Dream-and this evening, I am so incredibly happy to say, I get to release him. Sir Jake will be reunited with his Mama! All has been significant up to and when my son moved on( I saw golden eagle, bald eagle, juvenile bald eagle, gray fox. . . . But this Fella has helped me to heal.
I’ve hosted kestrels and their family’s at my home for four years now.
It started because I had pigeons roosting year round on my back porch. I love birds, but the pigeons poo where they live, and at the time I had young children playing and wanting to eat on the back porch.
I talked excessively to the powers that be about my delema. The answer was to put up bird houses…. I fought this answer yet it just keep taunting me! Finally I put up flicker houses because woodpeckers started to drill holes in my beautiful home. I had no choice.
Raccoons came in and stole the pigeons hidy home, then the kestrels roosted in the the two houses.
I no longer have piles of pigeons poo and the woodpeckers have stopped damaging my home.
I don’t know much about totem animals, but just do what you spirit tells you.
This morning I witnessed an American Kestrel swoop down and kill a sparrow in the middle of a city street. I was so surprised and have never seen such a thing. Later today after having done some reading I learned that the kestrel typically feeds on insects. This is remarkable because I have been in “hovering” mode for a long time, and I saw the bird go in for the kill. However, I do not sense that the time is right for me to do the same primarily because the circumstances are eratic. The kestrel stayed on the ground long enough for me to take a picture of this significant event, and then took off with the sparrow locked in its claws.
I dreamed of a kestrel last night. Usually I feel more connected to the fox, but last night a black bird with a white cap and shoulders appeared in my dreams, and yes, it was hovering, then waiting patiently on a branch outside my window. I’ve been feeling stagnant lately. I guess I’m in a holding pattern for a reason.
Thank you for posting this Bev. To see the full explanation makes sense. The kestrel I saw was behaving oddly – for a kestrel. Sitting in a hedge as I drove towards it on a country lane, instead of flying away, it dropped down in front of the car and flew very low along the course of the road.
It stopped every so often to perch in the hedge for a second. It was as though it wanted to make sure I was following, then it flew ahead again. This went on for at least 800 yards, then when I reached a junction it flew away.
I do indeed feel I am hivering like the kestrel, just waiting for a sign as to what path I should take in the next stage of my working journey. Thanks to kestrel and you, I can now not feel pressured and wait until it becomes absolutely clear what I should do.
Thank you dear friend 🙂
So glad that I could help, my friend. There is no doubt in my mind that the bird wanted you to see it, notice it and inquire about it. The universe needed to give you some solace and ease your frustration so it sent kestrel to you.