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The Lesser Kestrel is much more rare than its cousin the Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) which is the most frequent falcon in France. Because of its insect specialized diet the Lesser Kestrel has been greatly endangered by pesticide usage that provoked the lessening of its main food source (while the Common Kestrel preys more on small rodents). From 100.000 in the sixties they dropped to about 20.000 today and only 155 pairs left in France where a rescue program has been initiated.
Females and juveniles look pretty much alike. The female (on the right) is identified by the yellow area around eyes which is paler (and sometimes bared) for the young. Photographer has to wait for nestlings venturing out of the nest in order to shoot feeding behaviours. Before that, they are impossible to get while juveniles hide under the roof tiles. You can notice the white claw that is one characteristic that differenciates Lesser Kestrel from Common Kestrel.
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Lesser Kestrel preys mainly on insects. Locusts and Bush Crickets are very commonly taken, as are Grasshoppers, Cicadas and Centipedes. Certain colonies can sometimes add to their diet lizards, small birds or rodents. I have never seen any of those latter myself.
Here we can identify one of the major preys of the Falcon : a White-faced Bush-cricket (Decticus albifrons). They are fond of large orthopteras that provide a good deal of nutriments.
I noticed the prey in the Falcon's claw only when checking the photo on my computer screen. A Saddle-backed bush-cricket (Ephippiger ephippiger). Lesser Kestrel use two hunting technics. Either, after a stationary flight, they dash on their prey that they grab on the ground or they catch their prey in the air.
In the first weeks after hatching, young feeding is done by males while females are watching after the chicks.
Centipedes (here a Scolopendra cingulata) is part of their usual diet.
A juvenile is practising before its first flight
"See how I do this well ?"
This year, breeding has been a real success with 93 juveniles reared. An average of 3 to 4 chicks per clutch.
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