Kestrel

​The ‘Common’ Kestrel was for a long time , just that; a common bird of prey in the English countryside and the edge of suburbia. In fact it was the only bird of prey most of us ever saw.

How things have changed! Now, thanks to the pesticide DDT finally working its way out of the food chain and also with better raptor education, Our skies are brimming with birds of prey! Sparrowhawks have become a garden bird, Buzzards and Red Kites are ultra common in may localities and Peregrines have become a city dweller!

Fantastic news unless you’re a Kestrel! Our little Windhovers now have serious competition and serious predators, both things have helped their numbers plummet somewhat in recent times.

Bodie, our little male Kez, is probably one of the ‘biggest’ characters at Icarus, he most certainly doesn’t realize he’s only a few inches tall! “