Sexing (adult male) Common Kestrels by head colour (1 Viewer)

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CAUTION: plumage in adult females is very variable and can be similar from a juvenile to that of a male with grey rump, tail and head.

How grey can the head of an adult female get? Do I need to consult tail pattern (uniform grey uppertail with no barring except for the thick terminal band) before confidently sexing Kestrels?

 

[tconzemi]

It is known that old females start to developp male characters, but I don't think they will ever look like a male. This said, in every ID, especially aging and sexing, you should always use multiple criteria to come to a conclusion. In any case the vast majority of females are much more difficult to separate from juveniles than from adult males