Eurasian Kestrel

The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey in the Falconidae family of falcons. It is also called the Common Kestrel or the European Kestrel. It is a raptor.

The Eurasian Kestrel is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on its upperside. On the underside, it is buff with narrow blackish streaks. It has long wings and a long tail. The male has a blue-grey tail and the female has a brown tail with black bars. Its cere, feet, and eyerings are bright yellow. It has a dark beak and dark eyes. 

Continue reading “Eurasian Kestrel”

What is the difference between the Southern Crested Caracara and the Striated Caracara?

What is the difference between the Southern Crested Caracara (Caracara planacus) and the Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus australis)?

The Southern Crested Caracara and the Striated Caracara are both large birds of prey in the Falconidae family. They are falconids.

The Southern Crested Caracara has a dark-brownish cap, belly, wings, and tail tip, with a whitish-buff throat and nape, whereas the Striated Caracara is black-brown with a grey-flecked neck. 

The Southern Crested Caracara has a brown crest and the Striated Caracara does not have a crest.

Continue reading “What is the difference between the Southern Crested Caracara and the Striated Caracara?”

Southern Crested Caracara

The Southern Crested Caracara (Caracara planacus) is a large bird of prey and a raptor in the Falconidae family of falcons. It is a falconid.

The Southern Crested Caracara has dark-brownish cap, belly, wings, and tail tip. Its throat and the back of its neck are whitish-buff, with dark-brownish bars on its chest, neck, back, and tail. It has large brown eyes with a reddish-orange eye-ring. Its cere is reddish-orange and its beak is beige and hooked. Its legs are yellow. 

Continue reading “Southern Crested Caracara”

Common Kestrel

The Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey in the Falconidae family of falcons. It is also called the European Kestrel or the Eurasian Kestrel. It is a raptor.

The Common Kestrel is light chestnut-brown with blackish spots on the upperparts and beige on the underparts. Its tail is brown with a black tip. Females have black bars on their tails. Its cere, feet, and eye-ring are bright yellow to yellowish-cream.

Continue reading “Common Kestrel”

Saker Falcon

The Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) is a large endangered bird of prey, a raptor. It is a hierofalcon.

The Saker Falcon has a brown upper belly and grey flight feathers. Its head and upperparts are pale-brown with streaking from the chest downwards. Some Asian Saker Falcons have grey barred upperparts. It has a blue-grey downward curved beak with a black tip. Its legs are creamy-white with large sharp talons.

Continue reading “Saker Falcon”

Lanner Falcon

The Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus biarmicus) is a medium-sized bird. It is a raptor, a bird of prey.

The Lanner Falcon has grey-brown feathers on upperparts, streaked with white throughout its underparts. It has a rufous (red-brown) crown and back of neck, with a white throat. It has black-brown patches on its cheeks – a bit like a moustache. It has yellow legs with short claws, and large strong toes.

It has a short, hooked pale beak with a dark-grey tip and a white cere. The eyes are distinctive with a large, round, black pupil and an almond-shaped blue-grey to pale-yellow eye-ring. Juveniles have blue-grey eye-rings, and adults have pale-yellow eye-rings.

Continue reading “Lanner Falcon”