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

Workers at the institute thought the kestrel would make an excellent educational flight ambassador. —Cathy Free, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023

Mice and voles living on the land drew foxes and migratory raptors such as kestrels and harriers, who feasted on the cornucopia each time the grass was mowed. —Cara Buckley, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023

After this incident, the man brought the raptor to a local rehabilitator, who concluded the kestrel had likely imprinted on humans. —Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Nov. 2023

There are elk and bear, kestrels and ravens, tall grasses and deer, and trout in deep, cool pools. —Abe Streep, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023

But Ferrisburgh, an American kestrel with an injured wing, is headlining art classes in Vermont and drawing crowds with his talented talons. —Cathy Free, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023

The kestrel’s keepers wanted to keep him engaged with the public after his injury. —Cathy Free, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023

The pitch range was very similar to that of two kinds of raptors known to nest in the area, Eurasian kestrels and sparrow hawks. —Franz Lidz, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023

Similar to the screeches of the raptors that inhabited the region many millennia ago, the researchers say that the instruments imitated the sounds of the Eurasian kestrel and Eurasian sparrowhawk. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2023

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