Birds · Falconiformes · Falconidae

Lesser Kestrel

Falco naumanni

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The lesser kestrel is a small colonial raptor that breeds on the roofs, towers and churches of villages on the cereal plains, and hunts grasshoppers, crickets and beetles in the surrounding fields. Spain holds a very significant share of the European population. Its decline in the late 20th century was caused by building restorations that sealed up the nest holes and by insecticides, and it has been slowed by the installation of artificial nest towers.

Weight

90 g – 170 g

Size

27 cm – 33 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

GrasslandInsectivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Grassland

46countries 69parks10same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt breeds in colonies under the roof tiles of churches and castles, and eats insects.
comportamientoIt breeds in colonies in town centres and historic buildings, one of the few raptors that depends directly on human structures to nest.
It breeds inside villages: under the roof tiles of churches, castles and farmsteads in Extremadura, Andalusia and Castile, which is why its conservation depends as much on farming as on how historic buildings are restored.
It feeds almost entirely on large insects caught on the ground, and a colony of fifty pairs can eat several tonnes of grasshoppers in a season.
Artificial nest towers, purpose-built structures with breeding cavities, have become a standard conservation tool in Spain and have allowed the species to recolonise villages from which it had disappeared.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Cereal steppe and grassland; breeds colonially in churches, castles, farmsteads and cliffs
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 28 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 4 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/