Common Kestrel

The common kestrel is a small falcon, 32–39cm long with a wingspan of 65–82cm; males weigh 136–252g and the noticeably larger females 154–314g. It has long wings and a long tail. The plumage is mainly light chestnut-brown with black spots above and buff with narrow dark streaks below, with blackish flight feathers and a prominent black moustache stripe. Unusually for a raptor the sexes differ in colour: the male has fewer spots and a blue-grey cap and tail, while the female's tail is brown with black bars. Both have a black tail tip edged white (Wikipedia, general species account).

Its old name windhover describes its habit of hovering in the air while hunting over open country. It has a large native range across Europe, Asia and Africa and has colonised a few oceanic islands. In the cooler parts of its range it migrates south in winter; elsewhere it is sedentary, though young birds may wander (Wikipedia, general species account).