Seychelles Kestrel
Seychellenfalke (Falco araea )
The Seychellenfalke (Falco araea ), also known as the Seychelles kestrel, is a small, slender bird of prey in the genus of falcons. It is endemic to the Seychelles.
Features
The Seychellenfalke is a size 15 to 24 centimeters, the smallest member of the falcon authentics. The wing span is 44 to 47 inches and the tail length of 11 to 12 centimeters. The males reach an average weight of 73 grams. The females are slightly heavier at 87 grams. In the male adult bird back and wings are mottled maroon and black. Head and rump are dark gray. On a short chin beard lining can be seen. The medium long gray tail has four thin black bars. The Subterminalbinde shows a whitish tip. The underside is beige pink. Throat and under tail are white. In Flight image body and under wing-coverts are beige pink. The under tail-coverts, the grayish primaries and the secondaries are dark pink toned banded. Head, rump and tail top are gray. Back and wings are maroon. The primaries are dark brown. The plumage of the female is brighter. The young birds are different from the adult birds by the chestnut crown, by the brighter face, the more powerful drawing and the reddish toned beige ending tail. The underside is reddish beige with a sparse spot pattern. Throat and under tail are cream-colored. The contact call the breeding season consists of a loud ki -ki -ki.
Occurrence
The Seychellenfalke occurs on Mahé, Silhouette, Praslin and North Iceland. Vagrants were occasionally observed on La Digue. On Curieuse, Félicité, Marianne, Sainte Anne, Cerf Iceland, Longue, Thérèse, Grande and Petite Sœur Sœur he is extinct.
Habitat
The Seychellenfalke inhabited dense secondary forests, rocky highlands, open areas, coconut plantations, gardens and cities. It is found at altitudes up to 900 meters.
Way of life
The main food of the Seychellenfalken consists of lizards, especially skinks of the genus Mabuya and from day geckos. Other food includes insects, small birds and mice. The Seychellenfalke is an open highseat. As the seat waiting piles, trees, rocks or buildings are used. The attacks on its prey carried by rapid whirring Flights beats and gliding.
The breeding season is from August to October. Is nested in cavities, mainly on rock walls more than 200 feet above the ground but also in abandoned Myna nests in coconut palms and in the cornice of buildings or in tree hollows. The two or three eggs are incubated in 28 to 31 days. After 35 to 42 days the young are fledged. A further 9 to 24 weeks the boys remain in the area of parents.
Inventory and risk
By 1939, the Seychellenfalke was still common to almost all the islands of the Seychelles. 1965 were counted on Mahé less than 30 copies. In subsequent studies, 1972-1973, however, an inventory of 49 pairs was detected. Since 1976, the population is located on Mahé stable at 370 pairs. These 10 couples come to Silhouette and North, as well as four pairs on Praslin. In the past, the Seychellenfalke was persecuted as a harbinger of death and supposed fowlers. Since the 1960s, however, the pesticides used in the cinnamon plantations are responsible for its decline. Further hazards arise from competition for food from introduced barn owl, the snares of the chicks by rats, fires, and of the housing development in the urban areas of. The IUCN classified the species in the category at risk ( vulnerable ).