Lesser Kestrel

(Cerchneis naumanni), a bird of the family Falconidae of the order Falconiformes. The lesser kestrel ranges from 31 to 34 cm in length. The talons are pale. In the male the back is rust-colored, and the head and tail gray. In the female the upperparts are rust-colored, with dark spots.

The lesser kestrel is found in the steppe zone from northwestern Africa and Spain to northern China. It is migratory, wintering in Africa and southwestern Asia. It breeds in colonies, nesting in burrows, on cliffs, in tree hollows, or even under eaves. A clutch usually contains four or five reddish or ocher speckled eggs. Both the male and female incubate the eggs; the incubation period is about 28 days. The diet consists of insects, small rodents, and lizards. The lesser kestrel is a very beneficial species, destroying grasshoppers and rodents.