{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "kestrel",
  "name": "Common Kestrel",
  "scientificName": "Falco tinnunculus",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a small falcon famous for hovering head-to-wind over farmland, verges, and towns while hunting voles and large insects. It breeds across Europe, Asia, and Africa — including busy UK motorway corridors — weighs about 200 g, and is listed Least Concern, though some European farmland populations have fallen.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Falconiformes",
    "family": "Falconidae",
    "genus": "Falco"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.2,
    "lengthM": 0.34,
    "topSpeedKmh": 70,
    "lifespanYears": 10
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Falco tinnunculus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (small mammals and insects)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Open country, farmland, cliffs, and cities"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 10 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 0.2 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 70 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Farmland and towns across Europe, Asia, and Africa; common over UK motorway verges.",
    "continents": [
      "Europe",
      "Asia",
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/kestrel/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/kestrel/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}