Granddad’s Camera
Red-footed falcon, as it appears in the game

No.104 · Birds · Rare visitor

Red-footed falcon

Falco vespertinus

A small, sociable falcon from the steppes of eastern Europe that hovers like a kestrel over wet grassland in late spring. Males are slate-grey with rusty thighs and red feet.

When to look

May to June, mostly at day.

Time of day

Best time
Mid-May to mid-June, on warm days when dragonflies and beetles are flying.
Where in the game
the Norfolk Broads (grazing marsh, fen and reedbed)
Size
28–34 cm long
Wingspan
65–75 cm
Weight
About 155 g
Lifespan
The oldest recorded was 13.25 years in the wild
Population
Reported every year in Britain in varying numbers; about 17% of recent national reports were from Norfolk
Status
Rare visitor; Vulnerable in Europe (Species of European Conservation Concern)

Diet

Large insects, especially beetles, dragonflies and crickets, but also small frogs, lizards, voles and nestling birds. It hovers, then dives steeply

Habitat

Open country with a few trees, often near water. In Britain it hunts over grazing marsh, fen and heath

Breeding

Breeds in colonies from Hungary eastwards, reusing old rook and crow nests. 2–4 eggs. Winters in southern Africa

Field signs

  • A small falcon hovering on rapidly beating wings over marsh grass, then dropping onto an insect
  • Rows of falcons perched on a fence line or a dead branch in a hunting group
  • A quick, high 'kew-kew-kew' from a hunting bird

Did you know?

  • It migrates from Europe to southern Africa and back, and sometimes drifts west in spring, ending up in Norfolk.
  • Unlike most falcons, it breeds in colonies and reuses old nests of rooks.
  • A red-footed falcon reached Massachusetts in North America in August 2004.

Moments worth waiting for

  • Kestrel-style hover May to June, day
    The falcon hangs on the breeze, tail fanned, then folds and drops on a beetle in the grass.

Photo tip

Watch it from the track and wait: it will hunt the same field repeatedly. Use a 500 mm lens and a fast shutter (1/2000 s) to freeze the hover. The best light is low and side-on early or late.

Be a good naturalist

Do not walk out into the field to get closer, and do not flush a perched bird to get flight shots. Keep to the marked path at Hickling and give birds space, especially on a hot midday when they need to feed.

The law

All wild birds are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

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