Common kestrel

    Falco tinnunculus

Castilian: Cernícalo vulgar

Catalan: Xoriguer comú

Gallego: Lagarteiro

Euskera: Belatz gorria

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Falconiformes

Family: Falconidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

The loss and alteration of its habitat due to changes in agriculture (abandonment of land, intensification, disappearance of the outside edges of forests), illegal hunting, being run over by vehicles, electrical cables, and nest plundering.

Length / size: 31-37 cm / 68-78 cm

Identification: Small bird of prey with black toenails and marked sexual dimorphism. The male's back is reddish and mottled, while his belly is cream-coloured and also mottled; his head is grey, his cheeks are pale, and he has a dark, well-defined moustache. The female is considerably larger and is brown, mottled, and has a less defined moustache. The bird hovers in the air and scans the land in search of its prey.

Song: It makes a loud, high-pitched "kee kee kee kee".

Diet: It primarily feeds on micromammals (field mice, small moles), insects (crickets, cicadas, grasshoppers, locusts), and some small birds.

Reproduction: It is not a very demanding species with regards to the location of its nest: it can be in trees, rocky chasms, buildings, antennas, etc. The eggs are laid beginning at the end of March or beginning of April and the female is responsible for incubating the eggs.

HABITAT

It inhabits open areas and prefers farmland, stubble, fallow land and remains of natural vegetation.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: The breeding populations are distributed throughout the entire peninsula, both archipelagos, Ceuta and Melilla, although in very different densities.

In Castile and León: It breeds in all the provinces..

Movements and migrations: Wintering individuals from central and northern Europe arrive to the peninsula, which becomes a passage area for those that are going to cross the strait to reach Africa. The postnuptial passage begins between September and October, and the spring passage between March and April. The young Iberian speciments, one they become independent, travel long distances.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of at least 17500 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of 5000-9000 breeding pairs.