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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Visually Sexing Loggerhead Shrike Lanius Ludovicianus Using Plumage Coloration and Pattern

Visually Sexing Loggerhead Shrike Lanius Ludovicianus Using Plumage Coloration and Pattern

Published on: March 8, 2020

Why Do Kestrels Soar?

Jesús Hernández-Pliego¹, Carlos Rodríguez², Javier Bustamante¹

¹Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), c/Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain.

|December 23, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) prioritize energy conservation over time during foraging. They utilize thermal soaring, especially with high solar radiation, for distant food sources, impacting chick provisioning rates.

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Last Updated: Mar 28, 2026

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Published on: March 8, 2020

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A Video Surveillance System to Monitor Breeding Colonies of Common Terns Sterna Hirundo

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Published on: July 22, 2018

Area of Science:

Avian ecology
Bioenergetics
Behavioral ecology

Background:

Birds balance energy and time costs for flight strategies.
Flapping flight is energy-intensive, while soaring-gliding conserves energy but is slower.
Lesser kestrels, as light raptors, can choose between flapping and soaring.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the flight behavior of lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) during foraging.
To determine the influence of solar radiation (as a proxy for thermals) on kestrel flight strategies.
To understand the energy and time trade-offs in kestrel foraging.

Main Methods:

Tracking 35 lesser kestrels using high-frequency GPS-dataloggers over four breeding seasons.
Analyzing flight variables in relation to solar radiation levels.
Correlating flight strategies with foraging trip distances and habitat characteristics.

Main Results:

Lesser kestrels heavily relied on thermal soaring, particularly during high solar radiation.
A circadian pattern emerged, with soaring used for distant foraging and flapping for near-colony trips.
This strategy led to spatial segregation of foraging areas and affected chick provisioning rates.

Conclusions:

Lesser kestrels prioritize energy conservation during foraging, indicating they are more energy-constrained than time-constrained during breeding.
The reliance on thermals for distant foraging can negatively impact chick provisioning.
Understanding these trade-offs is crucial for lesser kestrel conservation efforts.