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Spring and autumn passage migrant bird that is frequently seen on farmlands and grassy fields throughout Qatar
© National Museum of Qatar
Scientific Name: Falco naumanni
Common Name: Lesser Kestrel
Dimensions: Length: 29 – 32 cm Wing Span: 58 – 72 cm
Medium: model
Registration Number: RPN.2018.0265.1
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Falco naumanni, commonly known as the lesser kestrel, is a bird with distinct features. It has narrow wings, a wedge-shaped tail, and quick wingbeats. The male lesser kestrel is characterized by its unmarked rufous tone above, bluish-grey central wing plumages, and an ash-grey head without a mustache or pale cheeks. Its underside features slimmer and shorter wings, along with neat tail tips. Notably, the lesser kestrel is generally smaller in size compared to the common kestrel.
Habitat and Biology
The Lesser Kestrels, during migration, form flocks of different sizes. They have a notable behavior of crossing water bodies in a wide formation, flying at a height that makes them hard to spot. However, they tend to fly lower over land, especially during their northward migration. Their diet primarily consists of insects.
ECO System Qatar
Rocky desert ecosystem:The Qatar peninsula's interior consists of flat, rocky plains with hardy life forms surviving and offering hunting spaces for predators. Stony deserts with sand, pebbles, and limestone emerge at the center, featuring gravel plains and eroded limestone formations. Three stony desert types are noted: Hamada, tough exposed zones prone to surface fracturing due to extreme summer heat; Hofuf, plains with a light gravel layer; and Wadis, dry channels filling after heavy rains.
PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH
Jennings, Michael C. (Author), Krupp, Friedhelm (Editor), Al-Suwaiyel, Mohammed bin Ibrahim (Preface By). (Series: Fauna of Arabia, Volume: 25). Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. Publisher: Karger Libri. 2010.
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