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Seychelles Kestrel
Falco araeus
-4.49128, 55.2357
Field Notes
Description:
It is the smallest of the kestrels, 18–23 cm long with a wingspan of 40–45 cm. I was surprised how small it was and nearly didn't see him because of this. (The last picture where he is on a different tree shows this better) The wings are fairly short and rounded. The adult male's upperparts are reddish brown with black spots while the underparts are unspotted and buff. The head and rump are dark blue-grey. The tail is blue-grey with black bars. The bill is dark and the feet and cere are yellow. The Seychelles kestrel is a small bird of prey belonging to the genus Falco in the falcon family, Falconidae. It is endemic to the Seychelles Islands where it is the only breeding bird of prey. It is known in Seychellois Creole as the katiti after its loud, shrill call. It eats a variety of small animals, mainly lizards.
Habitat:
It can be seen in forest, scrub and farmland and around rock faces and houses. It rarely hovers, instead feeding by sitting on an exposed perch and waiting for prey to pass, then swooping down to catch it. Lizards, particularly green day geckos (Phelsuma) and skinks (Mabuya), make up 92% of its diet and it will also take small birds, frogs, rats and insects.
Notes:
Conservation. The species has a population of about 800 birds and is classified as vulnerable. Lowland nests have a high failure rate of about 70-80%. It probably bred throughout the granitic central Seychelles in the past but is currently known to breed only on Mahé, Silhouette, North Island, Praslin and some small adjacent islands.
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