Chordates • Earth.com

Grey kestrel

(Falco ardosiaceus)

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Description

The slaty kestrel or gray kestrel ( Gray Kestrel ),2 is a species of bird falconiforme the family Falconidae native to Africa.It is a fairly small and chunky bird,is between 28 and 33 cm long,a wingspan of 58 to 72 cm and a weight of up to 300 grams.It has the upper part of the head flat and the wings very short,which do not reach beyond the tip of the tail when it is at rest.The female is larger and heavier than the male.The plumage of the adult is uniform dark gray,with the tips of the wings darker,with weak dark stripes on the body and barred in the flight feathers.The legs,beak and bare skin around the eyes are yellow.The most similar species is the Falco concolor that has a more rounded head,the wingsThey extend beyond the tail and less yellow around the eyes.Young birds are darker than adults.The young birds of the Falco dickinsoni are similar,but have the tail and the lower part of the wings more barred.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Aves
Order:Falconiformes
Family:Falconidae
Genus:Falco
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