Main Entry:

kes·trel

Pronunciation:

\ˈkes-trəl\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English castrel, from Middle French crecerelle, from crecelle rattle; from its cry

Date:

15th century

: any of various small chiefly Old World falcons (genus Falco) that usually hover in the air while searching for prey: as a: a common Eurasian falcon (F. tinnunculus) b: an American falcon (F. sparverius) having a reddish-brown back and tail and bluish-gray wings