The name kestrel (from French crécerelle, derivative from crécelle, i.e. ratchet) is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around 10–20 metres (35–65 ft) over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects. Other falcons are more adapted to active hunting on the wing. In addition, kestrels are notable for usually having a lot of brown in their plumage.

Description

Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.

Unusually for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.

A kestrel is a type of bird.

Kestrel may also refer to:

Aerospace, aviation, vehicles

Boats

Computer software

Kestrel is a steam yacht that was built in 1892. It is located in the George C. Boldt Yacht House on the Saint Lawrence River in Jefferson County, New York.

The vessel was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1977, when she was located in West New York, Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Kestrel was donated in 2009 to the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, which owns and operates Boldt Castle.

History

Kestrel was designed by D. Crawford and built by George Lawley & Son at the South Boston shipyard in 1892. In 1899, Kestrel was sold to Samuel Keyser of Baltimore, Maryland.

In 1937, James A. Trowbridge of Norton, Connecticut, purchased Kestrel. An overhaul and replacement of parts was done in 1957.

Robert P. Scripps of New York became the owner of the yacht in 1972. The American Maritime Academy on Staten Island subsequently purchased the yacht from Scripps.

In 1988, the yacht was acquired at auction by John H. Luhrs of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Luhrs had the steam engine completely repaired. In 2009, Luhrs donated Kestrel to the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, which put it on display at Boldt Castle's Yacht House.