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The common kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus'') is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".〔 This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America. But although it has colonized a few oceanic islands, vagrant individuals are generally rare; in the whole of Micronesia for example, the species was only recorded twice each on Guam and Saipan in the Marianas.〔〔〔 == Description == Common kestrels measure from head to tail, with a wingspan of . Females are noticeably larger, with the adult male weighing , around on average; the adult female weighs , around on average. They are thus small compared with other birds of prey, but larger than most songbirds. Like the other ''Falco'' species, they have long wings as well as a distinctive long tail.〔 Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.〔 The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.〔 File:Common Kestrel 2.jpg|Adult male ''F. t. tinnunculus'' landing File:Falco_tinnunculus_NRM.jpg|Young male ''F. t. tinnunculus'' during ringing File:Common_Kestrel.jpg|Closeup of adult male File:Falco 003.jpg|Female ''F. t. tinnunculus'' Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) male.jpg|male in the wild Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) male in flight 2.jpg|Hovering tail feathers closed Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) male in flight.jpg|Hovering tail feathers spread File:Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) skull at the Royal Veterinary College anatomy museum.JPG|Skull 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Common kestrel」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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