Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Kestrels are the most common bird of prey in Europe though their numbers have declined in Britain in the last few years. Their habit of hovering, particularly near motorways, means that they are also one of the easiest to spot.
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About the 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 brown falcon occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America. But although it has colonized a few oceanic islands, vagrant individuals are generally rare; in the whole of Micronesia for example, the species was only recorded twice each on Guam and Saipan in the Marianas.
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Scientific Classification
Family: Falconidae
Species: Common Kestrel (tinnunculus)
Other Falco
- Eleonora's falcon (eleonorae)
- Peregrine falcon (peregrinus)
The Kestrel is
Adaptation data provided by Animal Diversity Web
Where can I see them?
This region contains the following habitats:
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder
Conservation Status
The Kestrel is Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
- EX - Extinct
- EW
- CR - Threatened
- EN - Threatened
- VU - Threatened
- NT
- LC - Least concern
Year assessed: 2008
Elsewhere on the web
- Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (arkive.org)
- Falco tinnunculus (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
- Bird Guides: fact file and sightings (birdguides.com)
- Birds of Britain: information (birdsofbritain.co.uk)
- RSPB: fact file (rspb.org.uk)
- Common Kestrel (wikipedia.org)
Site links
BBC links
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