Female Kestrel, Paphos headland yesterday. (1 Viewer)

[KenM]

A parting shot afore leaving for the airport yesterday afternoon, made me wonder when reviewing the shots?

Cheers

 

[lou salomon]

it's Common Kestrel - strong moustache, short p10.

 

[KenM]

it's Common Kestrel - strong moustache, short p10.

Cheers, I suspected as much, so it doesn’t say much for the “lack of underwing spotting” to the secondaries often quoted as a feature, albeit not a stand alone one.

 

[Butty]

it doesn’t say much for the “lack of underwing spotting” to the secondaries often quoted as a feature

Quoted by who? For what species? (It's not quoted for either lesser kestrel or common kestrel by Collins.)
How is this relevant to your bird, given that it doesn't have unmarked secondaries?

 

[KenM]

Quoted by who? For what species? (It's not quoted for either lesser kestrel or common kestrel by Collins.)
How is this relevant to your bird, given that it doesn't have unmarked secondaries?

I’ve certainly read it somewhere in lit. remarking on the pale secondaries for LK, also the seemingly pronounced moustachial on female LK’s, not something I’ve noted on home birds?

Regarding P10 being shorter than P9 that’s by degree even with Kestrel.
A look on line should show that it can be posture (wing) dependant, more obvious in some shots than others.
I think I’d need to see the “white claws” to be totally satisfied.

 

[rosbifs]

It's 10 and 7 you compare not 10 and 9.....

You have everything you need in your photo for common!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Cheers, I suspected as much, so it doesn’t say much for the “lack of underwing spotting” to the secondaries often quoted as a feature, albeit not a stand alone one.

Hello Ken,

iirc, it was mentioned by William Clark in an older Limicola paper (and in his book too?)
He said, that the underwing-coverts are more heavily and darker patterned than the less patterned secondaries (and primary-bases?) in Lesser, while the underwing is (often?) more uniform in Common Kestrel.
But it was mentioned as an supportive and not infailible, variable character.

https://flic.kr/p/2pLBdCr

(Common Kestrel, Ziesar, NE-Germany, 27.03.2021)

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

A parting shot afore leaving for the airport yesterday afternoon, made me wonder when reviewing the shots?

Cheers

I was also on Paphos headland yesterday before going to the airport. Small world. Only saw Common Kestrel for what it's worth.