kestrel

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kes·trel

(kĕs′trəl)

1. A small falcon (Falco sparverius) found throughout the Americas, having vertical black stripes under the eyes and characteristically hovering over fields to hunt. Also called sparrow hawk.

2. A small falcon (Falco tinnunculus) of Europe, Asia, and Africa that hovers when hunting and has reddish-brown plumage and a gray head.

3. Any of various similar falcons of the genus Falco that hover when hunting.

[Probably from obsolete French cresserelle, from Old French cresserele, probably from cresselle, clacker, kestrel.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

kestrel

(ˈkɛstrəl)

(Animals) any of several small falcons, esp the European Falco tinnunculus, that tend to hover against the wind and feed on small mammals on the ground

[C15: changed from Old French cresserele, from cressele rattle, from Vulgar Latin crepicella (unattested), from Latin crepitāre to crackle, from crepāre to rustle]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

kes•trel

(ˈkɛs trəl)

n.

any of various small falcons that hover as they hunt, esp. Falco sparverius, of North America, and F. tinnunculus, of Eurasia.

[1400–50; late Middle English castrell < Middle French quercerelle]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	kestrel - small North American falcon American kestrel, Falco sparverius, sparrow hawk falcon - diurnal birds of prey having long pointed powerful wings adapted for swift flight Falco, genus Falco - a genus of Falconidae
	2.	kestrel - small Old World falcon that hovers in the air against a wind Falco tinnunculus falcon - diurnal birds of prey having long pointed powerful wings adapted for swift flight Falco, genus Falco - a genus of Falconidae

Translations

valk

керкенезсоколчерношипа ветрушка

falcóxoriguerxoriguer comúxoriguer gros

poštolkapoštolka obecná

falktårnfalk

Turmfalke Falke

βραχοκιρκίνεζο κιρκινέζι

falkokestreloturfalko

cernícalo comúnhalcón

tuuletallaja

haukkajalohaukkatuulihaukka

crécerelle crécerellette faucon

sokol

vércsevörös vércse

fálkihaukurturnfálkivalur

gheppio falco falcone

황조롱이

falco

pelėsakalis

torenvalkvalk

falk hauktårnfalk

pustułka sokół

falcãopeneireiro-vulgar

пустельга пустельга обыкновенная

sokolsokol myšiar

navádna postôvkasokol

sokoсоко

falktornfalk

bayağı kerkenezkerkenez

боривiтерпостiльгасапсансокіл

chim cắt

kestrel

[ˈkestrəl] N → cernícalo m (vulgar)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

kestrel

[ˈkɛstrəl] n → faucon m crécerelle

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

kestrel

n → Turmfalke m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

kestrel

[ˈkɛstr/əl] n → gheppio

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

There were sparrow hawks, with white breasts, and kestrels, and down the slopes scampered, with their long legs, several fine fat bustards.

View in context

Had ye slain him it would have been an ill day for you, for Robin Hood would have harried your town as the kestrel harries the dovecote.

View in context

Of diversified habits innumerable instances could be given: I have often watched a tyrant flycatcher (Saurophagus sulphuratus) in South America, hovering over one spot and then proceeding to another, like a kestrel, and at other times standing stationary on the margin of water, and then dashing like a kingfisher at a fish.

View in context

Carolyn Taylor, from Aston University's Campus Wildlife Group said: "We have a wide variety of flora and fauna on campus and our wildlife group has been taking a number of steps to ensure the safety of the kestrels' habitat.

Live web filming of nesting kestrels g g enjoying the university way of life

With the kestrels, some things that are known to be poisonous are coming through the food chain.

Wing and a prayer; IRISH BIRDS ON BRINK OF EXTINCTION, SAYS EXPERT

As my digi-scoping skills are unlikely to trouble a serious photographer (bemusement is the most positive response I've enjoyed from the Daily Post picture desk whenever I've shown them my blurry efforts), I think the kestrels may have given up hovering to catch food and nowhang aboveme in glee, chortling to themselves as I try to get a picture of them from below.

John Dempsey; travel/country on country matters ..

The 2005 nesting season was my second successful year with American kestrels in nest boxes.

Box o' birds

Kestrels live in city parks and along highways, as well as in wild lands from northern Alaska to South America.

The American Kestrel: Falcon of Many Names

KESTRELS are our most common bird of prey and you can see them nearly everywhere.

Top hunters of the sky; BIRDWATCH

Furthermore, the number of studies quantifying parental effort (PE) is scarce: while Wiebe and Bortolotti (1994) did so by observing the amount of food parent American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) delivered to food-supplemented nests, no one has quantified PE by observing the time parents devote to hunting (hunting effort).

Food limitation on brood size: experimental evidence in the Eurasian Kestrel

Kestrels move right in, especially when the boxes are near uncut grassy areas.

Kids helping kestrels

The Eurasian Kestrels were found on the rainbow arch (Interchange 5/6) while bird watching," says Dr Zubair Medammal, a falcon researcher and an assistant professor at University of Calicut in India.