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In medieval falconry the kestrel was reserved for the knave, reflecting its lowly status.
Country kestrels feed almost exclusively on small rodents (particularly voles), but those living in towns will take sparrows instead.
Though rodents may be the principal diet, they will also take a wide variety of other prey, including lizards, earthworms, large insects and even bats.
Vole numbers affect kestrel numbers: in good vole years more young kestrels are fledged.
Kestrels have remarkably keen eyesight even in extremely poor light, allowing them to hunt almost until dark.
Kestrels hunt from static perches and by hovering: the latter is far more productive, but uses lots of energy, which is why they hunt mainly from perches during the winter.
Hovering gives the kestrel its country name of windhover.
Kestrels aren’t as big as they look. An adult weighs on average a mere 220gm, less than half the weight of a red-legged partridge.
