Species guide
Eurasian Kestrel: how to recognise it
A bird seen on most continents. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Manuel Raab · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Falco tinnunculus
- Family
- Falcons and Caracaras
- Size
- About 32–39 cm
- Habitat
- Open country, farmland and motorway verges
- Found in
- Europe, Africa, Asia and North America
The key marks
A small falcon with a chestnut back spotted with black. The male has a blue-grey head and tail. It hovers over open ground.
Voice
A shrill, repeated “kee-kee-kee”.
Good to know
It can hover in one place, holding its head almost still while its body is buffeted by the wind.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in open country, farmland and motorway verges. It is especially common in Israel, Morocco, Greece and Spain. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.