— 59 — 



264. Egyptian Kestrel. Falco tinnunculus ruficolcejormis 



Brehm. 



Falco tinnunculus. Shelley, p. 194. 



Very abundant throughout Egypt to at least as far south as 

 Luxor, and resident. 



Length about 13 inches. Similar to the common European 

 kestrel, but darker in coloration and smaller in size. Crown 

 and nape dull bluish ; upper parts chestnut brown spotted 

 with black ; wing quills blackish, marbled with white and 

 rufous ; tail blue grey with a black terminal band ; under parts 

 buii spotted with black ; thighs reddish bufT. 



Females and young birds are more heavily spotted above 

 and lack the blue head and tail, though old females have a blue- 

 grey rump. 



265. KestreL Falco tinnunculus subsp. ? 



Another form of kestrel — larger and pa^er than the resident 

 species — passes through the country. Up to the present time 

 this form has not been named and its breeding quarters are 

 unknown. 



266. Lesser KestreL Falco naumanni naumanni Fleischer. 



Falco cenchris. Shelley, p. 195. 



« 



A few during the spring migration, and Shelley states that 

 it is abundant in autumn. Von Heuglin has stated that it 

 breeds at Alexandria, but this I am unable to confirm. 



Similar to the resident Egyptian Kestrel, but the upper 

 parts of the adult male are unspotted, and the innermost secon- 

 daries are slate grey. The claws of both sexes are usually paler 

 than those of the kestrel and are sometimes white. The female 

 resembles the Egyptian kestrel, but is somewhat smaller and 

 paler. 



267. Eastern Lesser KestreL Falco naumanni pekinensis 



(Swinhoe). 



Very abundant during spring migration. 



Similar to the afoiementioned but slightly darker above ; 

 the smaller wing coverts moreover are slate blue edged with 

 red and .not wholly red. 



