Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends:
Scotland
England  
English Regions
Distribution:
Atlas Maps
(Local Atlases )
BBS Maps
British Population Size:
Summer:
53 to 58 thousand pairs
in 2007
 
First Record:
8th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Wolstonian (penultimate) glaciation, c. 150,000 yr ago]
Latest Survey:
Clements, R. (2008) British Birds 101:228-234
Conservation Status:
AMBER
because
Species of European Concern,
Previous Assessments:
2002-2007
AMBER
1996-2001
AMBER
Races of Concern:
tinnunculus AMBER (European Concern)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Common in:
Scrub, Arable Farmland
Also found in:
Pasture Farmland, Marsh, Villages
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
290 to 440 thousand pairs
(Trend in Numbers )
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III), Bonn(II), CITES(II)
Survey Results:
BirdTrack
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
39 x 31 mm
Egg Weight:
21.0 g (of which 8 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
208
Clutch Size:
4 - 5 eggs
4.73 ± 0.88 (2 - 7) N = 1805
Incubation:
28- 29 days
28.61 ± 3.36 (22.5 - 36.5) N = 1805
by the:
Female (occ. Male)
Fledging:
32 - 37days
33.57 ± 4.11 (25.5 - 39) N = 3751
as:
Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
1 May (15 Apr - 14 May)
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
1857
(Annual Totals )
Adult Survival:
0.690
Juvenile Survival:
0.320 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
4
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
15 years 11 months 1 days (set in 2003)
Summary of Ringing Recoveries
Biometrics
Ring Size:
E
Wing Length
Adult:
247.4 ± 10.5
Range
233 - 262 mm, N =292
Juvenile:
245.6 ± 15.8
210 - 264 mm, N =239
Male:
243.8 ± 8.0
232 - 256 mm, N =176
Female:
252.8 ± 11.5
235 - 265 mm, N =111
Weight
Adult:
205.5 ± 33.35
Range
160.0 - 273.0 g , N =239
Juvenile:
199.1 ± 30.21
159.0 - 248.0 g , N =187
Male:
195.9 ± 24.88
164.0 - 245.0 g , N =148
Female:
220.5 ± 39.30
159.0 - 281.0 g , N =87
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Common Kestrel
Gaelic:
Speireag-ruadh
Welsh:
Cudyll Coch
Danish:
Tĺrnfalk
Dutch:
Torenvalk
Finnish:
Tuulihaukka
French:
Crécerelle des clochers
German:
Turmfalke
Hungarian:
Vörös vércse
Icelandic:
Turnfálki
Irish:
Pocaire Gaoithe
Italian:
Gheppio
Norwegian:
Tĺrnfalk
Polish:
Pustulka zwyczajna
Portuguese:
Peneireiro-vulgar
Spanish:
Cernícalo real
Swedish:
Tornfalk
Local Names: Windhover
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Village, A. 1990 The kestrel Poyser, London
[598.53 VIL]
Village, A. 1998 BWP Update 2:121-36
Shrubb, M. 1993 The kestrel Hamlyn, London
[598.53 SHR]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar
or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead