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Kestrel Steppe: description and distribution of this rare bird

Man's economic activity leads to the disappearance of many species of birds. Particularly got predators, which in the 60's especially exterminated. Influenced by the decline in their numbers and intensive farming, leading to the extinction of rodents and small animals that are food for them. One of the very rare birds of the Falcon family is the steppe kestrel. Little is known about it, as it is rare. Many confuse her with an ordinary kestrel. Now this beautiful bright bird is under protection and is listed in the Red Book. Measures are being taken to increase its numbers and protect it from extermination.

The difference from ordinary kestrel

These birds of the Falcon family are very similar. But smaller and at the same time more beautiful is the steppe kestrel. Photo of the bird in flight and in a stationary position shows how bright it is, especially the male. What are the characteristics of a kestrel steppe?

  • Its color is bright red, without speckles and spots. Bluish-gray head and black border on the tail. The inner surface of the wings is light, almost white, without spots.
  • The steppe kestrel is distinguished from the ordinary claws in color - they are light yellow or white. This bird is also called white-hen.
  • The wings are narrower than those of a kestrel. A tail is wedge-shaped, with a wide black border.
  • In the flight of the kestrel, the steppe can hang unmoving, without fluttering its wings.
  • It also differs in behavior: it likes to nest in colonies, and prefers insects in food.

Where does this bird live

The prairie kestrel is widespread in Southern Europe, in different parts of Asia and in North Africa. It can be found in Kazakhstan, the Altai, the Southern Urals and Transcaucasia. It is found everywhere in the Near and Middle Asia from Afghanistan to China, distributed in the Mediterranean.

The steppe kestrel hibernates in South Asia and Africa. The range of its nesting in recent decades has greatly diminished. This is primarily due to human economic activity and the decrease in the number of insects and small rodents, as well as the contamination of fields with insecticides and pesticides. This bird loves to settle in a steppe and semi-desert area, nests in heaps of stones, on grave tombstones and in niches and cracks of rocks. This is also associated with a decrease in the number of steppe kestrel - in recent decades, the construction of tombstones has changed. But protective measures and the creation of piles of stones in the habitats of these birds gradually lead to the fact that steppe kestre is more often found.

Description of the bird's appearance

Dimensions

Its length does not exceed 35 centimeters, and the wingspan is no more than 70 centimeters. These birds weigh from 100 to 200 grams.

Body shape

The tail of the kestrel kestrel is wider and wedge-shaped, and the wings are narrow. In comparison with other Falconiformes, it is not only smaller, but it looks slimmer and more elegant.

Coloring

A very beautiful bird - a steppe kestrel. Her photo shows how bright she is. Ocher-red, sometimes even pinkish back contrasts with the black border at the ends of the wings and tail. Flapping wings are brown, and the head is distinctly bluish. The gray-gray strip is also on the wings. In the flight of the kestrel the steppe is also beautiful: a buffy belly, sometimes with bright spots, an almost white throat and inner surface of wings, white claws. This bird is also distinguished by a dark border around the eyes, ocher cheeks and the absence of "whiskers", characteristic of other Falconiformes.

The life of the steppe kestrel

It is a migratory bird, forming large flocks. It nests also in colonies, unlike other Falconidae. Can settle even with other species of birds. The kestrel lives in the steppe area, but it needs hills, low cliffs, clay cliffs, piles of stones and earthen ramparts. She also loves the ruins of stone structures or tombstones. The nest suits itself in niches or cracks of rocks, emptiness in a heap of stones and even just in earthen pits. It is not lined in anything, and the clutch of 3 to 7 eggs is incubated by both parents in turn.

A characteristic feature of the kestrels of the steppe is food mainly insects. They catch them on the fly and can even hang in the air. This bird is very useful for crops, as it destroys a lot of locusts and other pests. They catch it, running on the ground. Do not disdain kestrel and small birds, lizards, hunts even on mouse-shaped rodents. In recent years, work has been carried out to increase the number of these birds. They create favorable conditions for nesting and feeding.

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