Photo: מינוזיג - MinoZig / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Birds of Prey

Lesser Kestrel

Falco naumanni

Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Germany Birds of Spain Birds of France Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of India Birds of Kenya Birds of Portugal Birds of Thailand Birds of Tanzania Birds of South Africa

By family

Falcons of Spain Falcons of France Falcons of the United Kingdom Falcons of India Falcons of Kenya Falcons of Thailand Falcons of Tanzania Falcons of South Africa

See what's near you right now

The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a member of the Falconidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 152 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Falconiformes
Family Falconidae Caracaras, Falcons
Genus Falco
Species naumanni

Where it lives

Southern Europe and northwestern Africa to northern China

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 152 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Falconidae
Order: Falconiformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Lesser Kestrel is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Lesser Kestrel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a member of the Falconidae family, within the order Falconiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL s Europe and nw Africa to n China.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 152 g, with a wing length of about 22.9 cm and a tail of around 13.2 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 9.6 million km².

Songs & calls

Lesser Kestrel — Flight call

Recorded by Pere Josa Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Lesser Kestrel?

The Lesser Kestrel is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 152 g.

Where does the Lesser Kestrel live?

The Lesser Kestrel is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL s Europe and nw Africa to n China, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Lesser Kestrel belong to?

The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) belongs to the Falconidae family, in the order Falconiformes.

What does the Lesser Kestrel eat?

The Lesser Kestrel is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Lesser Kestrel migrate?

The Lesser Kestrel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Lesser Kestrel endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Lesser Kestrel make?

1 real field recording of the Lesser Kestrel — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Lesser Kestrel's range?

The Lesser Kestrel has a mapped global range of about 9.6 million km².