A Rare Lesser Kestrel foraging in the dry lake bed
A pretty rare bird in our country and the males are especially prized by birdwatchers. The Lesser Kestrel is migrant from Mediterranean, Afghanistan and Central Asia and winters in Africa / Pakistan. Few birds - literally a handful that can be counted with the fingers - winter in India.
The males are easier to distinguish from the Common Kestrel due to the easy to spot differences. But the female is hard to spot in the field. The behaviour and flying is similar to the Common Kestrel and in the are we visited, there were half a dozen Kestrels and couple of these males.
This was shot couple of years ago when I just started birding - the biggest lake on the outskirts of the city went dry and the lake bed become a magnet for raptors such as Peregrine Falcon, Bonelli's and Booted Eagle, many Common Kestrels and 1 of this are Lesser Kestrel. We had't had a situation like that again till date and the bird also wasn't sighted again.
Many thanks in advance for your views and kind feedback.
A Rare Lesser Kestrel foraging in the dry lake bed
A pretty rare bird in our country and the males are especially prized by birdwatchers. The Lesser Kestrel is migrant from Mediterranean, Afghanistan and Central Asia and winters in Africa / Pakistan. Few birds - literally a handful that can be counted with the fingers - winter in India.
The males are easier to distinguish from the Common Kestrel due to the easy to spot differences. But the female is hard to spot in the field. The behaviour and flying is similar to the Common Kestrel and in the are we visited, there were half a dozen Kestrels and couple of these males.
This was shot couple of years ago when I just started birding - the biggest lake on the outskirts of the city went dry and the lake bed become a magnet for raptors such as Peregrine Falcon, Bonelli's and Booted Eagle, many Common Kestrels and 1 of this are Lesser Kestrel. We had't had a situation like that again till date and the bird also wasn't sighted again.
Many thanks in advance for your views and kind feedback.