Bird Guide

Bat Falcon vs Lesser Kestrel

Bat Falcon (Falco rufigularis)

Bat Falcon

Falco rufigularis

Medium164 gForest

The bat falcon is 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 12 in) long. Males weigh 108 to 150 g (3.8 to 5.3 oz) and have a wingspan of 51 to 58 cm (20 to 23 in). Females weigh 177 to 242 g (6.2 to 8.5 oz) and have a wingspan of 65 to 67 cm (26 to 26 in). They have long wings and a longish tail with a square tip. The sexes have similar plumage. Adults have blue-black head and upperparts with grayish edges on the feathers from the upper back to the uppertail coverts. Voice: The bat falcon is vocal "in breeding season, especially near nest, in contacts with other raptors, and even when attacking prey." Its main call is a "rapid shrill screaming" kee-kee-kee.. or kew-kew-kew..; the male's is higher pitched than the female's. Other calls include "an even higher and thinner "tsee-tsee-tsee...

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by Paulo Mascaretti · cc0
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

Lesser Kestrel

Falco naumanni

Medium152 gGrassland

It is a small bird of prey, 27–33 cm (11–13 in) in length with a 63–72 cm (25–28 in) wingspan. It looks very much like the larger common kestrel but has proportionally shorter wings and tail. It shares a brown back and barred grey underparts with the larger species. The male has a grey head and tail like male common kestrels, but lacks the dark spotting on the back, the black malar stripe, and has grey patches in the wings. The female and young birds are slightly paler than their relative, but are so similar that call and structure are better guides than plumage.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: fabca121 · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Bat Falcon and Lesser Kestrel.