kestrel

American  

[kes-truhl] / ˈkɛs trəl /

noun

1. a common small falcon, Falco tinnunculus, of northern parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, notable for hovering in the air with its head to the wind.

2. any of several related small falcons, as the American kestrel, F. sparverius.

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kestrel British  

/ ˈkɛstrəl /

noun

1. any of several small falcons, esp the European Falco tinnunculus, that tend to hover against the wind and feed on small mammals on the ground

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Etymology

Origin of kestrel

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English castrell, ultimately from Middle French quercerelle, variant of crecerelle; further origin uncertain

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Explanation

A kestrel is a small falcon that hovers high in the air before swooping down on its prey. Kestrels typically hunt for insects, rodents, and lizards. In North America, a kestrel is distinguished from other falcons by its small size — it's about the same size as a blue jay or mourning dove. These colorful birds have rusty-brown, black, white, and blue plumage, and they're commonly seen hovering above an open field, wings beating, before diving to snatch a grasshopper or mouse. Experts aren't certain of the origin of kestrel, although some suspect a Latin source, crepitacillium, "small rattle," after their distinctive call.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kestrel

Then there was the 2013 case of a kestrel discovered by Turkish villagers with a ring around its leg bearing the words, “24311 Tel Avivunia Israel.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

A landmark Ken Loach drama "Kes", in 1969, featured a boy's bond with a kestrel.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2025

Bootstrap Bill, a kestrel with a partially amputated wing, perched on a branch nearby.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2024

You've worked with so many animals on the show over four seasons, but the kestrel is new.

From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2024

“Oh, that was Billy’s. A noisy yellow canary that was eaten by a kestrel when we hung her cage outside one afternoon. It made the local paper. Luckily we’d already done the recordings.”

From "The Marvels" by Brian Selznick

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