(→References: Added Roberts, HBW rec cite.) |
(→Behaviour: Added actions, breeding, voice, movements and expanded diet.) |
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Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
Fynbos, desert and cliffs. | Fynbos, desert and cliffs. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
+ | ====Actions==== | ||
+ | Forages by hovering over open country, pouncing on prey on the ground. Also hunts from a perch. | ||
====Diet==== | ====Diet==== | ||
− | Their diet consists mostly of small mammals | + | Their diet consists mostly of small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. |
+ | ====Breeding==== | ||
+ | Monogamous. Nest is usually a scrape on cliff ledge but sometimes uses crow's nests or man-made structures where natural sites are unavailable. | ||
+ | ====Vocalisation==== | ||
+ | Metallic high-pitched ''kik-kik-kik''. Also ''kreee-kreee'' notes. | ||
+ | ====Movements==== | ||
+ | Generally sedentary with local movements. | ||
+ | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#{{Ref-GillDonsker15V5.3}}#{{Ref-Hockeyetal05}}#Orta, J., Boesman, P. & Marks, J.S. (2018). Common Kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus''). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53213 on 8 July 2018). | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#{{Ref-GillDonsker15V5.3}}#{{Ref-Hockeyetal05}}#Orta, J., Boesman, P. & Marks, J.S. (2018). Common Kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus''). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53213 on 8 July 2018). |
Revision as of 09:36, 10 July 2018
- Falco rupicolus
Identification
27–35 cm (10½-13¾ in)
- Greyish head and tail
- Chestnut upperparts
Distribution
Africa: from northern Angola to Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Tanzania and South Africa.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It was formerly included in Common Kestrel.
Habitat
Fynbos, desert and cliffs.
Behaviour
Actions
Forages by hovering over open country, pouncing on prey on the ground. Also hunts from a perch.
Diet
Their diet consists mostly of small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.
Breeding
Monogamous. Nest is usually a scrape on cliff ledge but sometimes uses crow's nests or man-made structures where natural sites are unavailable.
Vocalisation
Metallic high-pitched kik-kik-kik. Also kreee-kreee notes.
Movements
Generally sedentary with local movements.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.3). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
- Orta, J., Boesman, P. & Marks, J.S. (2018). Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53213 on 8 July 2018).
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Rock Kestrel. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rock_Kestrel
External Links