Descriptive List of Birds 



thighs. Some brown streaks on the lower 

 plumage. 



Donald writes : " This beautiful little falcon 

 is by no means rare in the Himalayas and its 

 wonderful evolutions in the air cannot help 

 attracting attention. Its long pointed wings 

 make it appear bigger than it really is. . . . If 

 watched for a few seconds it will be seen con- 

 stantly to change direction and turn and twist 

 in the air in a most amazing way in pursuit of 

 insects on which it mostly preys. The Hobby 

 does not usually make its appearance till late 

 in the afternoon and may be seen circling, 

 stooping, rising vertically, and playing extra- 

 ordinary tricks in the air, some time after all 

 diurnal birds have gone to rest." 



This bird is nowhere very common. 



156. Tinnunculus alaudarius : The Kestrel. 

 F. 1265, J. 17, +ni. E. W. K. 



This is the English " Windhover." 



Head, neck and tail grey. Back and wings 

 brick-red. Lower parts cream-coloured spotted 

 with brown. The red wings, grey body and 

 manner in which it hovers in mid-air on 

 rapidly-vibrating wings render the identifica- 

 tion of this pretty little bird an easy matter. 

 The tail is graduated, the middle feathers 



