Kestrel
The sight of a Kestrel masterfully hanging motionless on a breeze by a motorway may be less commonplace these days, but they remain one of our most familiar raptors.
We have four resident falcon species in the UK, and each adopts its own strategy to carve out a niche for survival. Merlins are hyperactive, dashing across a moor or estuary and chasing the tails of anything that doesn’t get out of the way. Hobbies are aerial masters which specialise in feeding on agile prey including dragonflies, Swallows and even Swifts. Peregrines use the stoop to outpace and outmuscle their prey. These three take their prey in midair, but Kestrels take a more patient approach to find food on the ground.
This female Kestrel was hovering near a footpath by Pagham Harbour. It is thought that she is able to detect ultraviolet light emitted by trails of vole urine, but this bird was unable to catch one despite a couple of attempts as I watched.
Where to see Kestrels
While they have declined in numbers, Kestrels can be seen throughout the UK range of habitats ranging from towns to open moorland. Only two of our birds of prey routinely hover - Buzzards do so less often and can be distinguished by their much larger size.