THE KESTREL 
life to many a rural spot in the suburbs of London. Un- 
like the two preceding species, this little Falcon spends a 
good deal of its time in the air, flying about above the 
open fields and commons. It may easily be recognised 
by its flight. One moment it looks as if it were suspended 
from the sky, as it poises all aquiver with wings and 
long tail outspread; the next it is progressing with 
rapid-beating wings for a few yards ; then the hovering 
actions are repeated, or the bird glides some distance 
with no apparent effort. Field after field is crossed in 
this way, interrupted, perhaps, by a sudden drop or swoop 
to the ground to capture prey, or an occasional visit to 
some tree to rest. "There are few more harmless birds 
than the Kestrel, Its food consists chiefly of mice and 
coleopterous insects, cockchafers especially. It may cap- 
ture an occasional small bird, but very exceptionally. 
There are few prettier sights in the air than a Kestrel 
engaged in hawking for cockchafers, these, as well as all 
other prey, being seized by the claws alone. ‘The other 
smaller mammals are also captured. ‘The Kestrel for the 
most part of the year is comparatively silent, but in spring 
it becomes garrulous, and may then frequently be heard 
uttering a chattering cry. This Falcon makes no nest, 
but takes possession of an old home of a Magpie or a Crow 
or seeks some hole in a cliff or building, and here it lays, 
in April or May, from four to six reddish brown eggs. 
As incubation progresses these become surrounded by 
pellets of cast-up food refuse, as is the manner of all 
Raptorial birds. 
The male Kestrel is brighter coloured than the female, 
and has the head, neck, lower back, and tail grey, the 
rest of the upper parts rich reddish chestnut, spotted 
with black; the tail is tipped with white and broadly 
barred with black near the tip; the wings are dark 
brown ; the under parts are pale buff, darkest on the 
breast, marked with dark brown. Bill blue, yellow at 
B 17 
