Most of Europe, Asia & Africa.

Kestrels do not build nests but make a scrape on ledges or in holes or forks in trees.
Courtship begins in early spring with spectacular mock fights and display flights. A clutch of 4 to 6 eggs takes about a month to hatch with fledging about a month later. During the incubation and early brooding period, all food is provided by the male, requiring him to hunt many times each day.

Tyler is one of our babies for 2005.

He was hatched late in 2004 - so late, in fact that we'd only just got him flying when the shortening days forced us to rest him up for the winter. The good news is that he'd learnt how to fly - the bad news is that he hadn't worked out which direction he's supposed to go. Still, it's early days.

He's a seriously cute little bird and when he grows up and gets his adult plumage he'll look absolutely stunning with a russet-brown back and a grey head & tail.

In the mean time Chris will be doing a lot of work with him, getting him used to crowds and developing his fitness and confidence - the small birds (we expect Tyler to fly at about six ounces) are always the most difficult.