kestrel

noun

kes·​trel ˈke-strəl 

: any of various small chiefly Old World falcons (genus Falco) that usually hover in the air while searching for prey: such 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

Did you know?

There are several birds of prey that are called kestrels. Kestrels are noted for hovering while hunting their prey of large insects, birds, and small mammals. Kestrels are mainly Old World birds, but one species, the American kestrel, often called sparrow hawk in the US, is common throughout North and South America. It is about 12 in (30 cm) long, white or yellowish below, and reddish brown and slate-gray above, with colorful markings on the head. The common kestrel of the Old World is larger and less colorful.

Examples of kestrel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Wild Bird Fund, a wildlife rehab facility in a storefront near the corner of West Eighty-seventh Street and Columbus Avenue, treats more than twelve thousand animals a year, from tiny songbirds to kestrels, seagulls, hawks, vultures, and wild turkeys. —Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

Arid uplands and ephemeral wetlands host an exceptional array of life, from 13 species of frogs and more than 140 reptiles to 325 bird species like mulga parrots and nankeen kestrels. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Another study found urban lizards were also more responsive to threatening sounds, such as a wildfire or a kestrel. —Sean Greene, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025

Keep an eye out for rare species like the American kestrel, gopher tortoise, and the flatwoods salamander. —Erica Zazo, Outside Online, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for kestrel

• ancestral
• orchestral