54 THE KESTKIL. 



INLAND BIRDS, 



CAPABLE OF BEING TAMED WHEN OLD. 

 1. THE KESTEIL. 



Falco Tinnunculus, LIN. Cresserelle, BUF. Der Thurmfalke, BECH. 



Description. The Kestril is as large as the collared Turtle- 

 dove, namely, about fourteen inches in length, of which the tail 

 measures six inches. The folded wings cover two thirds of the 

 tail : the beak is ten lines long, very much curved, toothless, and 

 in colour of a bluish black. The iris, the feet, and the naked 

 membrane above the beak near the forehead, which is called 

 the cere, are yellow ; the foot, i. e. the naked part from the 

 toes to the first joint, is two inches high. The female is not 

 only one third larger than the male, but, as is common among 

 birds of prey, quite distinct in colour. They are both hand- 

 some birds. In the male the top of the head and the tail are 

 light grey, the under part of the latter being marked with a 

 broad black stripe ; the back and the wing coverts a red brick 

 colour with black spots ; the under part of the body a rust 

 rose colour with longitudinal black marks ; the leg and rump 

 feathers of the same hue ; the tail feathers dark brown, spotted 

 with white on the inner side. 



In the female the back and wings are of a beautiful rust 

 colour, with numerous black transverse stripes ; the head light 

 reddish brown, also striped with black; the tail similarly striped, 

 having the same transverse streak at the end as the male. In 

 both, the point of the tail is very pale in colour. 



Habitat. This bird is met with all over Europe, espe- 

 cially in such woody and mountainous regions as abound in 

 precipices, or ruined castles. It is a bird of passage, depart- 

 ing with the Larks in October, when it may be seen in couples, 

 hovering in the air over a mouse or a Lark. It returns in March. 



If an old bird be taken, it must be kept in a wire cage, but 

 when reared from the nest, it may be allowed to run about, 

 and to perch outside the window and fly out ; for when once 

 accustomed to dogs and cats, it is not disposed to leave the 

 house or barn in which it is confined. 



Food. When wild, it lives chiefly on small birds and mice ; 

 in the absence of these, it is content with beetles and grass- 



