I live in Valencia, Spain and where I walk my dog there is what appears a young kestrel. I've seen s/he hover but mainly perch and glide hunting. This sounds daft but I think this kestrel recognises me. I usually make a repeat whistle when I see them and speak to them softly. Some days of course, they are nowhere to be found.
The first time I started to think this bird is habituating to me was when it glidedpast me iinto a tree (the one in photos) I was standing close to...but perhaps coindence...
Anyway, I have been in the UK for a few days and today when I walked the dog...no kestrel...not unusual. Bit disappointed I headed home. I am then in a completely different piece of wild land (campo - 5 minutes walk away) much closer to home/town and out of nowhere the kestrel appears. Flies right towards me and perches on a pylon beside me. I get to get my field glasses out to check, whistle and speak to her/him. They were clearly checking me out, before flying onto another pylon heading back in the direction of their normal fields on edge of village.
So questions:
1. am I delusional or can wild falcons build a 'relationship' with humans? I would swear this bird is acting socially towards me - at a distance of course - but that's twice it's flown directly into my space.
2. when do young kestrels show the change in plummage brown or grey head? This one is brown but is very confident and I'm not sure if there is a gender bias for 'boldness' or if this trait tends to be familial.
3. what is the average hunting range for a kestrel? Do they tend to stay in one area or move?
4. Do kestrels share hunting ground? There is another bird but I think it may be a buzzard in the same area...is this possible? This other bird, seems much more 'grumpy' and less interested in me.
5. I know with birds of prey in captivity they are put in seclusion for a big moult, how does this work for wild birds? Does it happen over time? I found a lot of primary and secondary feathers. At first I thought it was a predator had caught a falcon/hawk - now I wonder if it was a moult? Can you pass on some links about this?
6. I've attached some photos of the feathers, some of the bird sitting on a tree anda couple of them in flight. Is this a kestrel? Sorry the photos aren't great - only on camera phone at a distance.
Many thanks for any info for a total novice
Smiles
A
Further to my above post, today it appears that they are two kestrels. As I walked out I was greeted by the more social of the two as it eyed me from a tree on the path. I then spotted the other on the top of a pylon - appears to be preferred look-out. As I watched the second, she took off and glided on the thermals doing massive loops. Then she was joined by the other and then 'danced' for awhile - with one going into a hover to hunt and the other plummeting like a stone - was truly awe inspiring. Walking past the tree, the social bird had once again taken up position and quite happily preened herself as I watched her, having a bit of a tail wag and fluffing feathers. Great start to day
Ok further to my posts today went really weird ....
I live in a flat. 3rd floor. Tiny vernadah with a metal fence. I'm about 1km from where I watched her hunting. So this morning, I'm in bed and I hear a kestrel calling really close. So I jump out of bed, imagining it is on a nearby building. Before I fully realise what is happening, I open the verandah door, only to realise the kestrel is sitting right there. On the fence outside the bedroom. It takes off. I moved too fast and I think both of us were equally shocked.
I think the kestrel followed me home.
Now my partner said, 'oh maybe it was another kestrel'.
To which I replied 'have you ever had a kestrel land on your tiny verandah before?'
'No.'
'And you think it's only coincedence that I'm watching kestrels and there's a kestrel outside the bedroom calling?'
So is this normal kestrel behaviour? How the hell would it find me anyway? I know they can see UV light, does human sweat 'glow'? Would it see my dog's trails? Even if it watched me going in the building, how the heck did it know I was on the 3rd floor? Can kestrels identify humans? Do wild kestrels bond with humans or at very least take an interest in us? What exactly is the visual acuity of a kestrel - could it tell it was me in the room lying on the bed?
Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful. It was somewhat miraculous and a complete honour, but I've been left with so many questions....