Species Profile
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus
Quick Facts
Conservation
LCLeast ConcernLifespan
4–6 years
Length
32–39 cm
Weight
136–252 g
Wingspan
65–82 cm
Migration
Partial migrant
Also known as: Common Kestrel, European Kestrel
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Appearance
The Kestrel is a small, compact falcon with pointed wings and a long tail. Males have a striking blue-grey head and tail, with a rufous-brown back and black wing tips. The underparts are pale with dark spotting.
Females are predominantly brown, with dark barring across the back, wings, and tail. Both sexes have distinctive black 'moustache' markings, yellow legs and feet, ceres (bill base), and eye rings.
Juveniles are similar to adult females but have paler legs and bills and more prominent streaking below.
Identification & Characteristics
Male Colors
- Primary
- Brown
- Secondary
- Black
- Beak
- Grey
- Legs
- Yellow
Female Colors
- Primary
- Brown
- Secondary
- Black
- Beak
- Grey
- Legs
- Yellow
Female Markings
Barred tail and wings, lacking the grey head and tail of males
Attributes
Understanding Attributes
Rated 0–100 based on research and observation. A score of 50 is average across all bird species. These attributes are relative and don't necessarily indicate superiority.
Habitat & Distribution
Kestrels inhabit many open habitats, including farmland, grasslands, heathland, and urban areas. They are found across Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. In the UK, they are widespread and can be seen year-round.
Some northern populations migrate south for winter, while those in temperate regions tend to be resident. Kestrels have adapted well to human-altered landscapes, often nesting in buildings and hunting along roadsides.
Distribution
Where to See This Bird
Explore regional guides for locations where this bird has been recorded.
United Kingdom
England
Scotland
Wales
Cambridgeshire
Rutland
Bedfordshire
Buckinghamshire
Berkshire
Bristol
Cheshire
Cornwall
Cumbria
Derbyshire
Devon
Dorset
Durham
East Riding of Yorkshire
Essex
East Sussex
Gloucestershire
Hampshire
Herefordshire
Hertfordshire
Isle of Wight
Kent
Merseyside
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
London
Manchester
Northumberland
Norfolk
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
North Yorkshire
West Midlands
Oxfordshire
South Yorkshire
Tyne and Wear
Suffolk
Shropshire
Somerset
Surrey
Staffordshire
Stockton-on-Tees
Warwickshire
Wiltshire
West Yorkshire
Worcestershire
West Sussex
Diet
Kestrels primarily feed on small mammals, particularly voles and mice. They also consume large insects, small birds, and occasionally reptiles.
Their keen eyesight allows them to spot prey from a considerable distance, often catching it with a swift dive from their hovering position.
Behaviour
Kestrels are known for their distinctive hovering flight. Its most distinctive behaviour is the ability to hover in a fixed position on rapidly beating wings, with its head remaining unerringly still, or remain motionless on an updraught while scanning the ground for prey. It drops vertically onto prey, which is then usually carried away to be eaten on a perch
Kestrels frequently perch on posts, wires, or tree branches, bobbing their tails while surveying their surroundings. They are solitary hunters but may form loose colonies during breeding season.
Calls & Sounds
Although generally silent birds, Kestrels have a distinctive, high-pitched call often described as a repeated 'kee-kee-kee' or 'killy-killy-killy'. This vocalisation is commonly heard during territorial disputes or when alarmed.
During courtship, males may produce a softer, chattering sound to attract females. Adults also call to maintain contact with their partners and their young.
Nesting & Breeding
Kestrels typically breed from April to July. They do not build their own nests but instead use existing cavities in trees, cliffs, or buildings. In urban areas, they may nest in specially designed boxes.
Females lay 3-6 eggs, which are creamy-white with reddish-brown spots. The eggs are incubated primarily by the female for about 28 days.
Both parents care for the chicks, which fledge after 27-35 days but remain dependent on their parents for several weeks afterwards.
Conservation
While listed as Least Concern globally, Kestrel populations have declined in parts of Europe due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss.
Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable hunting grounds and providing nesting boxes in areas where natural sites are scarce.
Elevation
Up to 3,500 meters
Additional Details
- Predators:
- Adult Kestrels face threats from larger raptors such as Goshawks and Peregrine Falcons. Eggs and nestlings are vulnerable to corvids, squirrels, and climbing mammals.
Birdwatching Tips
- Look for Kestrels hovering over open fields or grasslands
- Check telephone poles and wires in rural areas for perched birds
- Listen for their high-pitched 'kee-kee-kee' call
- In the UK, watch for them along country lanes, motorways and in urban areas
- Use binoculars to spot their distinctive facial markings
- Perched kestrels have a noticeably upright posture. When in direct flight, the kestrel’s wingbeats are fast and shallow with a few glides.
Did You Know?
- Kestrels can see near-ultraviolet light, helping them track vole urine trails.
- Kestrels have remarkable eyesight that may be as much as eight times stronger than ours. These birds can spot prey from about 50 meters away, more than twice the length of a tennis court.
- They have been known to cache surplus food for later consumption.
- In medieval times, lower-ranking individuals sometimes used Kestrels in falconry.
- The kestrel is also known as the Windhover due to its mastery of flight and ability to hover, an aspect that is celebrated by Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poem of the same name. “High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing”.
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