Bird Watching or Twitching in Andalucia Southern Spain
May 2005, Lesser Kestrel, Falco naumanni
This summer visitor was seen from the road between Manilva and Casares on the 10th April. It is slightly smaller than the kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and distinctively paler beneath. From below both male and females have blue grey plumage with a black band on the grey tail. From above the female lesser kestrel and kestrel are very similar with brown speckled heads and backs. The males differ above in that both have grey heads but the kestrel is a speckled chestnut whilst the lesser kestrel is non speckled. It is often seen in small flocks, this one was with five others. Like the kestrel it preys on small mammals, its keen eye sight allowing it to spot movement on the ground from a hover above. It tends to spend less time in the hover and with a less systematic search pattern than the kestrel so appears impatient to move from place to place at random