RED-FOOTED FALCON, 341 



feathers of the back, and broad mottles and streaks on the 

 under parts ; her tail is distinctly barred black and brown. 

 When old she will sometimes attain male dress. The young 

 are like the female, only redder, as shoTm on the plate. INIale : 

 Length, ii ins. Wing, 7'S ins. Tarsus, i'45 ins. Female: 

 Length, 12 ins. Wing, 8'6 ins. Tarsus, i*5 ins. 



Red-footed Falcon. Fako vespertimis Linn. 



The Red-footed Falcon (Plate 152; is a summer visitor to 

 eastern Europe and Siberia ; it winters in Africa. On migra- 

 tion, usually in spring and summer, it has, not infrequently, 

 wandered to the British Isles. Some forty to fifty have been 

 reported, mostly from eastern and .southern localities in 

 England, but it has been met with in the west — in Wales, 

 Lancashire and Cheshire — and in Scotland and Ireland. 



Unfortunately whenever a rare visitor is sighted there is 

 such haste to obtain it that information about habits in Britain 

 are ignored. The Orange-legged Hobby, as it is sometimes 

 misleadingly called, has more of the Kestrel than the Hobby 

 in its manner of flight. It is not quick in its sailing and it 

 frequently hovers ; it shares with the Hobby one habit, that of 

 hawking for crepuscular moths ; the specific name indicates 

 these evening flights. Decidedly gregarious, many will nest 

 close together, and quarter the same ground when feeding. 

 Mice and lizards are eaten as well as insects, but it is not swift 

 enough to capture many birds. Its call is a repeated ki^ not 

 unlike that of the Kestrel, with which it has many things in 

 common. 



The male is very distinctive in plumage ; the whole of the 

 upper parts, as also the tail, the breast and under wing- 

 coverts, are slate-grey, darkest on ihe head and lightest on the 

 quills. The feathers round the eye are almost black. The 

 thighs, belly and under tail-coverts are rich chestnut. The bill 



