the kestrels' subspecies (1 Viewer)

All around the world, how many subspecies of kestrels there are? And how about the subspecies distribution.
and In the history, Is there other method to divide the species to subspecies?

Maybe I just want to know the phylogenetic of the kestrels.

thanks!

Lihu, I'm not sure which kestrels you are talking about. All small falcons of the genus Falco are not called 'kestels'. Monroe & Sibley do not indicate any subspecific breakdown of the species of this genus; Clements lists eleven subspecies of the Eurasian Kestrel, F. tinnunculus and 17 of the American Kestrel, F. sparverius.

Four of the Eurasian subspecies are restricted to the Canary and Cape Verde Islands, four others are African, one is Indian, one East Asian (yours and mine, I presume, F. interstinctus), while the nominate, F. t. tinnunculus, is by far the most widespread, from North Africa, across Europe to Siberia.

Can't help you with the rationale for their separation into subspecies, sorry.

Hi Lihu,

You can try both Avibase and http://worldbirdinfo.net/ which while I can't vouch for their current taxonomic completeness they might be helpful for a quick look-up if the books are not at hand.

Steve