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 see a red-footed falcon
May to June, mostly by day.
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Time of day
- Dawn
- Day
- Dusk
- Night
Where to see a red-footed falcon in the UK
- The Norfolk Broads. A spring wanderer at Hickling and Horsey, hovering over the grazing marsh and hawking dragonflies from dead willows.
Red-footed falcon facts at a glance
- 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
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
