Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

OTHER NAMES: Kestrel, Windhover

Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") tinnunculus ("skrill sounding")

Adult female Common Kestrel (subspecies F. t. tinnunculus) at Tintagel, Cornwall - April 2015

Featured Subspecies: Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus
Weight: 140-200g  /  Length: 25-35cm  /  Wingspan: 60-65cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Probably our most recognisable raptor, at least in as far as people seeing them on a day to day basis goes, they are also by a long way the most easily seen of our four regular falcons. That being said they are in decline, despite making a success of motorway verges and cities, and the reasons for this aren't necessarily clear. Having said that they are still easier to spot than most raptors, and coastal heath-land seems to hold plenty, as do the aforementioned sides of motorways, although, the heaths are perhaps a better habitat to photograph them in.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subspecies: F. t. tinnunculus, F. t. rupicolaeformis, F. t. interstinctus, F. t. objurgatus, F. t. archeri, F. t. rufescens, F. t. canariensis, F. t. dacotiae, F. t. neglectus, F. t. alexandri 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common breeding resident (46,000 pairs))

 - Seen in many locations including Rutland Water, Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes, Elmley Marshes, Oare Marshes and Geddington.

SPAIN - Spanish - Cernícalo vulgar ("Ordinary Kestrel")

Scarce and Local Resident

 - SEVILLE 2011 TRIP: Several seen around central Seville 
 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Seen in the vicinity of Madrid.
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen in the vicinity of Madrid.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto