File:Birds of Britain (1907) (14568765839).jpg

Identifier: birdsofbritain00bonh (find matches)
Title: Birds of Britain
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Bonhote, J. Lewis (John Lewis), 1875-1922 Dresser, Henry Eeles, 1838-1915
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain
Publisher: London, A. and C. Black
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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us, Linnseus The Kestrel, or as it is sometimes called, the Windhover,is one of the most graceful and harmless of our small Hawks.Year in, year out, he is with us, and his beautiful flight maybe observed throughout these islands. He may be seenon any fine day high up in the air, remaining apparentlymotionless, but ever and anon keeping his position by a fewrapid and quivering wing-beats, he will then turn slowlysideways and, revealing as he does so a red back and darkquills, he will describe a wide curve and again hang motion-less in the wind. He is at last beginning to be recognisedas one of the farmers most useful friends, and as a perfectlyharmless adjunct to the Pheasant covert, and thus he isyearly becoming more abundant. He feeds entirely onmice and small rodents, and only occasionally on small birdssuch as Larks. Towards the end of April the Kestrel repairs with hismate to his former abode or to some convenient spot near 2l6 KESTREL Falco tinnunculu.Male (below). Female (above)
Text Appearing After Image:
Kestrel by. He does not build a nest for himself, but occupies thedeserted home of a Crow or Magpie, a hole in a tree, ifpossible one which is open at the top, or the ledge of thecliff near the sea-shore. There, with little or no additionof material, the six eggs, of a beautiful rich red colour, arelaid, but occasionally they have a paler ground colour andare blotched with deep red. In about three weeks the young are hatched, and, as inthe case of all birds of prey, are thickly covered with palegreyish down. At first their parents on bringing the foodtear it up for them and allow the young to peck it fromtheir beaks, but as they grow and their appetite increases(for their voracity at this age is enormous), the food is merelybrought to the nest and the young tear it to pieces and eatit without further aid. Like several other birds, the Kestrelat such a time does not hunt in the immediate vicinity ofhis nest, and, except that he may occasionally be seen flyingover, he is seldom at home

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