Indian Ocean Kestrels
From Freepedia
| Indian Ocean Kestrels | ||||||||||||
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| Falco araea (Oberholser, 1917) Conservation status: Vulnerable | ||||||||||||
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| Falco moluccensis (Bonaparte, 1850) | ||||||||||||
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| Falco newtoni (Gurney, 1863) | ||||||||||||
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| Falco punctatus Temminck, 1821 Conservation status: Vulnerable | ||||||||||||
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| Falco zoniventris Peters, 1854 |
Isolated on various islands around the Indian Ocean, Kestrel populations evolved into different species, like Darwin's finches. Behaviour remains similar to Common Kestrel, F. tinnunculus, except on (originally) forested Mauritius where kestrels hunt arboreally more like hawks. Kestrel species differ in coloration.
Two subspecies of Madagascar Kestrel, F. newtoni, are recognised, one on the main island of Madagascar and one on neighbouring Anjouan and Aldabra. It has adapted to human encroachment better than much of Madagascar's wildlife. Its diet is mainly lizards and insects. Confusingly it is sometimes referred to as the Spotted Kestrel, a name usually used for the Moluccan/Indonesian Kestrel, while the Mauritius Kestrel's species epithet punctatus means spotted.
The Banded Kestrel, F. zoniventris, is also restricted to Madagascar and is less common than F. newtoni. It is found in more arid habitats.
The Seychelles Kestrel, F. araea is the smallest of all kestrels, otherwise similar to the Madagascar Kestrel (and originally considered the same species). Its range is reduced to Mahé, with a few pairs on Silhouette Island and Praslin. Its diet is mainly lizards. The species status is "Vulnerable" (in the terminology of CITES).
The Mauritius Kestrel, F. punctatus, is found only on Mauritius and neighbouring Mascarene Islands. It usually snatches arboreal prey, typically geckos. Unusually for kestrels, the male and female have the same plumage. Habitat loss and pesticide poisoning pushed this species to the brink of extinction, possibly down to as few as six individuals in the mid 1970s. The conservation effort was initially unsuccessful but results improved when new approaches were tried by Carl Jones in 1979. Chicks hatched at a sanctuary run by Gerald Durrell were released to new areas, and the population has now almost reached the capacity of the island.
The Spotted Kestrel, F. moluccensis, is endemic to Indonesia.
The Nankeen Kestrel, F. cenchroides, inhabits Australia and New Guinea.
