Falco araeus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Falconiformes

Familia: Falconidae
Subfamilia: Falconinae
Genus: Falco
Species: Falco araeus
Name

Falco araeus (Oberholser, 1917)
Synonymy

Cerchneis araea (protonym)
Falco araea (orth. err.)
Falco gracilis Lesson, 1831, nom. inval. (preoccupied, non Falco gracilis Temminck, 1821).

References

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 30: 76.

Vernacular names
català: Xoriguer de les Seychelles
čeština: Poštolka seychelská
dansk: Seychellertårnfalk
Deutsch: Seychellenfalke
English: Seychelles Kestrel
español: Cernícalo de las Seychelles
eesti: Seiđelli tuuletallaja
suomi: Seychellientuulihaukka
français: Crécerelle des Seychelles
magyar: Seychelle-szigeteki vércse
italiano: Gheppio delle Seychelles
日本語: セーシェルチョウゲンボウ
Nederlands: Seychellentorenvalk
norsk: Seychellfalk
polski: Pustułka seszelska
português: Francelho-das-seychelles
русский: Сейшельская пустельга
slovenčina: Sokol seychelský
svenska: Seychellfalk
Türkçe: Seyşel Adaları kerkenezi

The Seychelles kestrel (Falco araeus) is a small bird of prey belonging to the genus Falco in the falcon family, Falconidae. It is endemic to the Seychelles Islands where it is the only breeding bird of prey. It is known in Seychellois Creole as the katiti after its loud, shrill call.
Description

It is the smallest of the kestrels, 18–23 cm long with a wingspan of 40–45 cm. The wings are fairly short and rounded. The adult male's upperparts are reddish brown with black spots while the underparts are unspotted and buff. The head and rump are dark blue-grey. The tail is blue-grey with black bars. The bill is dark and the feet and cere are yellow. Females are similar to the males in appearance but are a little larger and paler. Immature birds have a brown, streaked head, spots on the breast and a buff tip to the tail.
Ecology

It can be seen in forest, scrub and farmland and around rock faces and houses. It rarely hovers, instead feeding by sitting on an exposed perch and waiting for prey to pass, then swooping down to catch it. Lizards, particularly green day geckos (Phelsuma) and skinks (Mabuya), make up 92% of its diet and it will also take small birds, frogs, rats and insects.

The breeding territory covers just 40 hectares, the smallest of any bird of prey. Breeding occurs from August to October. The nest site is on a cliff, tree or building. It is a simple scrape with no nest material used. Two or three eggs are laid; they are white with brown markings and are incubated for 28–31 days. The young birds fledge after 35–42 days and then remain with their parents for another 14 weeks.
Conservation

The species has a population of about 800 birds and is classified as vulnerable. Lowland nests have a high failure rate of about 70-80%. It probably bred throughout the granitic central Seychelles in the past but is currently known to breed only on Mahé, Silhouette, North Island, Praslin and some small adjacent islands. It was reintroduced to Praslin in 1977.

Threats are thought to include habitat loss due to logging, housing development and fires as well as predation and competition by introduced species. Rats, cats and barn owls have reduced the lizard population on which the kestrels depend and they may take eggs and chicks. Barn owls and common mynas have occupied many suitable nest sites.

Persecution by humans is now rare. In the past, kestrels were killed because they were thought to take chickens and because they were considered to be an omen of death.
References

BirdLife International (2023). "Falco araeus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T22696380A227717030. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T22696380A227717030.en. Retrieved 20 May 2024.

"Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.

BirdLife International (2007) Species factsheet: Falco araea. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2007.
Barilari, M. 2010. Biologia, conservazione e problemi evolutivi di specie minacciate in ambiente insulare tropicale: il Gheppio delle Seychelles (Falco araea). PhD dissertation, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo". download from: http://www.openthesis.org/documents/Biologia-conservazione-e-problemi-evolutivi-602901.html
Ferguson-Lees, James & Christie, David A. (2001) Raptors of the World, Christopher Helm, London.
Penny, Malcolm (1974) The Birds of Seychelles and the Outlying Islands, Collins, London.
Skerrett, Adrian; Bullock, Ian & Disley, Tony (2001) Birds of Seychelles, Christopher Helm, London.