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 



