Kestrel
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Kestrel
Bird
A small falcon famous for hovering almost motionless in mid-air, head held still, as it scans the ground below for voles and other small prey.
Name Story
Falco tinnunculus
means “the little falcon that rings like a bell”
What does its name mean?
- Falco — falcon (probably from 'falx', a sickle, for its curved talons)Latin
- tinnunculus — the little bell-ringerLatin (tinnire, 'to ring/jingle')
- kestrel — from an old word for a rattleOld French
Two languages heard the same shrill, ringing "kee-kee-kee" call and named the bird for it: the Latin means "little bell-ringer" and the English comes from a word for a rattle. Its old country name, "windhover", captures the way it hangs perfectly still in the breeze while hunting.