Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Order: FALCONIFORMES
Family: FALCONIDAE Falcons
Scientific name: Falco tinnunculus
English name: Eurasian Kestrel
Characteristic: Size 31-35 cm. A bird of prey with long pointed wings and relatively long tail. Male has grey head and nape; mantle and upperback reddish brown with black spots; flight feathers black; tail feathers grey with a black band near its tip; underpart reddish brown, closely streaked with black. Female has reddish brown head to back; some streakings present on its head and nape; tail reddish brown with a large black band and many smaller ones throughout its length.
Distribution: Africa, Eurasia, India, Andamans, Chian, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China, Hainan, Borneo and the Philippines.
Habitat: Found living in grass field, scrub forest, forest edge, marshy areas even in towns, from the plain to the high altitudes of 2,000 m. In Sakaerat forest, it keeps to open gress land among dry dipterocarp forest.
Habit: Diuranl hunter, usually seen solitarily or keeping in small flocks. Frequently observed hovering hing in the air, before plunging down to capture prey. When the field is on fire, it will hawk after the fire-driven insects and catch in its beak; but it does most or its catchs on the ground by its talon, the the prey will be severed and eaten on high perch. No breeding activitty has been recorded form Thailand.
Status: Being a seasonal migrant to this country, it will move here in non-breeding time. This falcon is extremely rare in Sakaetat forest. It has been protected legally as a protected wild animal.
