GARDEN WILDLIFE

by Alex White

PART THIRTEEN – KESTRELS 

You can tell this is a female kestrel as she doesn’t have the blue/grey head that the male does.

The Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is one of Britain’s most common birds of prey although they have declined in the past few years. They are a familiar sight hovering over grassland or by the side of motorways.

They nest in buildings, holes in trees or cliff ledges, they lay 3 to 6 eggs which hatch after 27 to 31 days. In late summer the juveniles will leave their natal area and can travel up to 100 miles to find a new place to settle.

Kestrels can live up to 10 years in the wild.