Smaller than Kestrel, rather small, finely built falcon, recalling Hobby in shape and hunting flight and Kestrel in open perching and hovering. Adult ♂ has back, wing-coverts, and tail sooty grey, lower belly, thighs and vent rich chestnut (appearing dark red and thus contrasting little in many views
♀ has back, wing-coverts and tail more blue-grey barred black, and underbody and under wing-coverts orange-buff, little streaked except on flanks and set off by obvious barring on flight-feathers and undertail. Head of ♀ diagnostic: crown and nape orange-buff, eye-patch and short, broad moustache brown-black; chin, throat, and rear cheeks white. Bare parts orange-red
Migratory: summer visitor to West Palearctic, winters in southern Africa
Passage between breeding and wintering ranges occurs on broad fronts, without concentrations at narrow sea-crossings. Autumn movement heaviest over east Mediterranean
Passage across Mediterranean at peak late September and early October
Return movements begin about early March; Mediterranean recrossed mid-April to mid-May. First birds arrive central Europe and Ukraine from mid-Apri
Seen in fields near Okcular and road between Ortaca and Seragarme
Classification :
Some Chance (SC) : May see it , low in numbers , may be seasonal
Photo John Codling