Page 142 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

BIRDS OF PREY
Order Falconiformes Family Falconidae Species Falco tinnunculus
Kestrel short, round
blue-grey
head
brown-black barred back
outer wings and wings
MALE

FEMALE
FEMALE pale rufous
rufous inner back spotted
wings with black
pale brown
inner wings black
claws
outer wings paler
than on male
slim tail with
IN FLIGHT black band
sually the most familiar and easily seen
U bird of prey, the Kestrel has nevertheless
declined in farmland areas in recent years. It is MALE
the pigeon-sized, long-winged, daytime hunter most often
seen perched on telegraph poles or wires or hovering over
roadsides, as if suspended on a string. Unlike Sparrowhawks, FLIGHT: direct flight with deep wingbeats, few
there is relatively little difference in size between glides; hovers conspicuously; soars with wings and tail
the sexes, but much more in pattern: the fanned; aerobatic around cliffs.
male has a bluish grey head and red-
brown upperparts while the female
has a brown head and tail.
VOICE Nasal, complaining, whining
keee-eee-eeee and variants.
NESTING On bare ledges on cliffs,
in quarries, derelict buildings, high
window-ledges, disused crows’ nests
or tree holes; 4–6 eggs; 1 brood;
March–July. POISED FOR A DIVE
FEEDING Catches small mammals, The Kestrel hovers frequently, its tail often spread like
especially voles, and also beetles, lizards, a fan. The fan-shaped tail acts as a brake when the
earthworms, and small birds. bird is about to land. OCCURRENCE
Almost everywhere in Europe,
SIMILAR SPECIES from cities to remote mountains;
common around woodland and
MERLIN 2
grey on heaths, until recently on farmland
wings unspotted red- similar to 32; but declining as farming systems
brown back see p.144
plainer are modernized and food is
shorter, above restricted almost to roadside
broader verges. Present all year but many
wings move south in winter.
LESSER KESTREL 3 SPARROWHAWK 32; Seen in the UK
similar to 3; see p.141 see p.138 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 34–39cm (13 1 ⁄2 –15 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 65–80cm (26–32in) Weight 190–300g (7–11oz)
Social Family groups Lifespan Up to 15 years Status Declining
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