Chapter 24. Lesser kestrel Falco naumanni

The lesser kestrel is a small colonial falcon with a broad breeding distribution range, extending from the Iberian Peninsula to eastern China. Most of the biological and ecological knowledge concerning this species, including migration, has been obtained from European populations. After the end of each breeding season, these populations move preferentially northward, showing pre-migratory movements (of 100–1,000 km) that are necessary to reach rich foraging grounds where they can fuel before commencing the true migration towards Africa. European lesser kestrels migrate on a broad front across the Mediterranean Sea. There is a strong connectivity between European breeding and African non-bre…