Kestrel vs Sparrowhawk: How to Tell Them Apart

This is a small bird of prey; it has long wings and tail, but its neck is short. The sexes differ. Male has a reddish-brown back which is spotted, a blue-grey head and tail and creamy-buff underparts with dark spots; there's a black band at the end of the tail. Female bird is larger; her plumage is more brown, she has a pattern of dark bars on her upperparts, and a pale breast with dark streaking. The tail is barred along its length. Juvenile birds are similar to females, but their streaking is more obvious, and the upperparts are more reddish-brown.

Can be found across the majority of Britain and Ireland, with the exception of north-west Scotland, and numbers are less in Ireland. This bird makes the most of urban habitats such as roadsides, but is most often found in meadows and commons, coastal grassland and moors.

Makes a persistent, high-pitched 'kee-kee-kee', usually in close proximity to the nest.

This is a small and rapid bird of prey; it has long wings with a straight, blunt tail and wide, rounded wings. The sexes are slightly different. The male is blue-grey on top with orange-tinged underparts; his tail is grey and has 4-5 dark bars. The female is larger; her upperparts are grey-brown, her underparts are paler and barred and she has a white stripe over her eye. Juvenile birds have brownish upperparts and distinct brown bars on the pale breast.

There are populations throughout most of Britain, excluding areas that are mountainous or with concentrated agricultural land. Found in woodland (including in urban areas) and hunts along woodland edges, ridges, clearings and gardens.

Utters a high-pitched 'ke-ke-ke-ke' when nesting and a 'kew kew kew' if alarmed.