Missouri Warns Everyone about this Fierce Dive-Bombing Raptor

There's a reason why this bird is a favorite of many in Missouri. There are few predators that are as efficient as these dive-bombing raptors are and the state of Missouri warns you to watch out for them.

This week, the Missouri Department of Conservation shared a reminder about the American Kestrel. They refer to this fierce little bird as "roadside diners and divers". Dive-bombers indeed.

All About Birds accurately describes American Kestrels as "gracefully buoyant in flight", but you don't want to be the small bird or rodent that is the intended target of these efficient hunters. Humans are not normal targets, but don't tell that to a photographer who had an American Kestrel unleash fury on him.

A bird this small isn't what you normally think of when you think of a raptor, but Missouri has few birds as intense as this one. When you see one perched on a fence post when you're cruising down a Missouri road, know that you're witnessing one of the state's best hunters.