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6

Common Kestrel

(Falco tinnunculus)
Alternate name(s): "European Kestrel", "Eurasian Kestrel", "Old World Kestrel", "Kestrel"
German name(s): "Turmfalke"

Size: 32-39 cm; wing span 65-82 cm
Weight: 136-252 g (male), 154-314 g (female)

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Common Kestrel at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "tinnunculus"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Common Kestrel; note the grey cap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, September 2020]

Frontal view of a male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, January 2020]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2018]

Lateral view of a male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, December 2019]

Lateral view of a male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2019]

Lateral view of a male Common Kestrel on a coastal rock (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Pointe du Raz, Bretagne, France, August 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a male Common Kestrel on a power pole (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, January 2021]

Frontal view of a male Common Kestrel standing in an updraught (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Land's End, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Frontal view of a hovering male Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, August 2018]

Frontal view of a male Common Kestrel gliding to the next position to hover above its prey (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, August 2018]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Kestrel standing in an updraught (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Land's End, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Common Kestrel in flight (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2021]

Lateral view of a male Common Kestrel just off its perch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a male Common Kestrel in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, December 2017]

Lateral view of a male Common Kestrel standing in an updraught (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Land's End, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male Common Kestrel in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Common Kestrel; note the brown cap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Near-frontal view of a female Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a female Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Almograve, Odemira, Beja, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2020]

Frontal/ventral view of a female Common Kestrel in hovering flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a female Common Kestrel in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Murtosa, Aveiro, Portugal, November 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Common Kestrel in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

PAIR

Frontal view of a pair of Common Kestrels; male on the right (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2022]

Sex unknown

Dorsal/ventral view of a Common Kestrel in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Common Kestrel holding on to its prey, a locust (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, June 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Common Kestrel (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Lateral view of a juvenile Common Kestrel just after take-off (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Race "rupicolaeformis"

Common Kestrels, nominate race "rupicolaeformis", were photographed by us in Oman.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Aug? Eggs: 3 - 7 Incubation period: 28 - 31 days Fledging age: 28 - 35 days

Nest

Type: Hollow (Basket) Material: Sticks Height above ground: ?

Common Kestrels either nest in hollows, in trees or cavities in cliffs, or they repossess abandoned nests of corvids, such as e.g. Carrion Crows.

Male Common Kestrel inspecting an old Carrion Crow nest for its suitability (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, March 2021]

Carrion Crow nest re-used by a pair of Common Kestrels (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, March 2021]

Another female Common Kestrel on what looks like a recycled corvids' nest (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2021]

Eggs

Size: 41 x 34 mm Colour: Creamy, with copious mid-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Predators are territorial birds who will defend their territory against intruders, in particular competitors for food.

Aerial combat between a female Common Kestrel, top, and a Black-winged Kite (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2019]

Food, Diet

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Kestrel with its prey, a mouse (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2018]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

kestrel_ls_20210130.m4a tinnunculus
(Germany)
? (+ Common Starling) © LS

More Common Kestrel sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.