Eurasian Kestrel

Description:

The Eurasian Kestrel, also known as European, Common, or Old World Kestrel is a medium sized falcon, about 35 cm in length - let's say slightly bigger than Feral pigeon, but slightly smaller than Wood pigeon. The body is slender and elegant, with long and narrow wings and long tail. Presented here is male, recognized by its greyish head, with dark moustachial stripes. The bird's back and upperwing-coverts are chestnut brown, with some black spots; and contrasting with much darker flight feathers. The chest and belly are much lighter in colour, but sporting a bold and dense dark spotting.

Habitat:

This chance happened while we were driving along a narrow mountain road, on densely forested slopes of Jura mountains. The forest here is a dense coniferous one, with some occasional clearings and meadows.

Notes:

1.) Today early afternoon, we had a great chance to spot this beautiful falcon, having his luncheon (looks like a vole...) high in a tree under a snowy and heavy skies. The scene was beautiful, as our predator was unfazed by our car stopping quite close (some 20m away) and me crawling out under the rain and snow with my camera in my hand and shooting excitedly in rafal... 2.) By the way, the Eurasian Kestrel is very common in our region (Geneva lake valley and Jura mountain range), and I've observed, counted and photographed them in many kinds of habitats: on pastures on tops of Jura mountain range; edges of deciduous trees forests or in wetlands or in agricultural fields low in the valley; occasionally even from my window. Of course, the most spectacular moments are seeing them hovering some 15 m above the ground with tail spread like a fan...