There are lots of fun facts about the Lesser Kestrel. Did you know that?

• The lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni, is a small falcon. Like all other falcons it is a bird of prey or raptor meaning it hunts for food.
• Lesser kestrels have a striped brown back and striped gray belly. Males have a blue-gray tail, rump and crown. They look just like their cousin the Common Kestrel making them difficult to identify by field marks alone.
• The lesser kestrel is one of the smallest birds of prey. It measures just 33 cm (13 inches) from head to tail and has a wingspan of only 72 cm (28 inches).
• Lesser kestrels are found on just three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa. They live in woodland and grassland habitats.
• The lesser kestrel is a migratory bird. It winters in Africa, south of the Sahara, and summers in Europe and Asia.
• Lesser kestrels feed on insects, small birds, reptiles and rodents. They use their strong claws to pounce on their prey and powerful beak to kill their catch.
• The lesser kestrel nests naturally on rocky terrain, such as mountain slopes, gorges and deep ravines, but due to habitat loss it also nests on buildings and in tree holes.
• Lesser kestrels nest in colonies of up to 100 pairs and roost in groups that number in the thousands. The largest recorded roost numbered 28,600 birds!
• The lesser kestrel, falco grillaio in Italian, is the symbol of Parco della Murgia Materana.