KESTREL

The Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the Kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel or Old World Kestrel. In Britain, where no other Kestrel species are found, it is generally just called KESTREL.

Common Kestrels measure 32 cm to 39 cm (13 in to 15 in) from head to tail with a wingspan of 65 cm to 82 cm (26 in to 32 in). Females are noticeably larger. The adult males weigh around 136 gm to 252 gm and the adult female weighs around 154 gm to314 gm. They are thus small compared with other birds of prey but larger than most songbirds. Like the other Falco species, they also have long wings as well as a distinctive long tail.

In the cool-temperate parts of its range, the common Kestrel migrates south in winter. Otherwise, it is generally sedentary, although juveniles may wander around in search for a good place to settle down as they become mature. It is a diurnal bird of the lowlands and prefers open habitat such as fields, heaths, shrublands and marshlands. It does not require woods to be present as long as there are alternative perching and nesting sites like rocks or buildings. It will thrive in treeless steppe where there are abundant herbaceous plants and shrubs to support a population of prey animals. The Common Kestrel readily adapts to human settlement, as long as sufficient swathes of vegetation are available and may even be found in wetlands, moorlands and arid savannah. It is found in areas close to the sea level to mountain ranges reaching up to 4,500 m.

When hunting, the Common Kestrel characteristically hovers about 10 m to 20 m (33 ft to 66 ft) above the ground, searching for prey, either by flying into the wind or by soaring using ridge lift. Like most birds of prey, Common Kestrels have keen eyesight which enables them to spot small prey from quite a distance. Once prey is sighted, the bird makes a short, steep dive toward the target. It can often be found hunting along the sides of roads and motorways as well. This species is able to see “near ultraviolet” light, allowing the birds to detect even the urine trails around rodent burrows as they shine in an ultraviolet colour in the sunlight. Another of their favourite hunting technique is to perch a bit above the ground under cover and survey the area. When they spot prey animals moving by, they pounce on them suddenly. They also prowl a patch of hunting ground in a ground-hugging flight, ambushing prey as they come across it.

A number of subspecies of the Common Kestrel are known though some are hardly distinct and may even be invalid. Most of them differ little and mainly in accordance with Bergmann's and Gloger's Rules.