Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae)

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - HBW 2, p. 259

French: Faucon crécerelle German: Turmfalke Spanish: Cernícalo Vulgar
Other common names: European/Eurasian/Rock Kestrel

Taxonomy: Falco Tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
May form superspecies with F. sparverius, with F. newtoni, F. punctatus and F. araea, and with F. moluccensis and F. cenchroides. Several races poorly differentiated, and may be invalid. Eleven subspecies normally recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 - N Africa, Europe and Middle East E to E Siberia and Soviet Far East.
interstinctus McClelland, 1840 - Tibet E through N Indochina and S & C China to Korea and Japan; winters S to India, Malay Peninsula and Philippines.
objurgatus (Stuart Baker, 1927) - S India (W & E Ghats) and Sri Lanka.

See all 11 subspecies

tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 - N Africa, Europe and Middle East E to E Siberia and Soviet Far East.
interstinctus McClelland, 1840 - Tibet E through N Indochina and S & C China to Korea and Japan; winters S to India, Malay Peninsula and Philippines.
objurgatus (Stuart Baker, 1927) - S India (W & E Ghats) and Sri Lanka.
canariensis (Koenig, 1890) - Madeira and W Canary Is.
dacotiae Hartert, 1913 - E Canary Is.
neglectus Schlegel, 1873 - N Cape Verde Is.
alexandri Bourne, 1955 - SE Cape Verde Is.
rupicolaeformis (C. L. Brehm, 1855) - NE Africa and Arabia.
archerii Hartert & Neumann, 1932 - Somalia, coastal Kenya and Socotra.
rufescens Swainson, 1837 - W & C Africa, E to Ethiopia and S to S Tanzania and N Angola.
rupicolus Daudin, 1800 - N Angola, S Zaire and S Tanzania S to S South Africa.