Mauritius kestrel
| Mauritius kestrel | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Falconiformes |
| Family: | Falconidae |
| Genus: | Falco |
| Species: | F. punctatus |
| Binomial name | |
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Falco punctatus Temminck, 1821 |
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The Mauritius kestrel (Falco punctatus) is a bird of prey from the family Falconidae endemic to the forests of Mauritius, where it is restricted to the southwestern plateau's forests, cliffs, and ravines. It is the most distinct of the Indian Ocean kestrels. It colonized its island home to evolve into a distinct species probably during the Gelasian (Late Pliocene). It is the most distant living species among the western Indian Ocean kestrels (Groombridge et al. 2002, qv Réunion kestrel).
It can reach a size between 26 and 30.5 cm. The weight is up to 250 grams. The males are slightly smaller than the females. Wingspan is approximately 45 cm and wings are rounded, unlike those of other falcons. The lifespan is 15 years in captivity. The Mauritius kestrel hunts by means of short, swift flights through forests. It is carnivorous, eating geckos, dragonflies, cicadas, cockroaches, crickets, and small birds.
The story of this bird is one of the most remarkable conservation stories. In pre-colonial time the population was estimated between 175 and 325 breeding pairs. This small population was caused most likely by deforestation in the 18th century and by cyclones. But the most severe decline was in the 1950s and 1960s due to indiscriminate DDT use and invasive species like cats, mongooses and crab-eating macaques which killed the kestrels and their eggs. What was probably this species' closest relative in Recent times, the Réunion kestrel, became extinct around 1700 for fairly mysterious reasons.
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Wikipedia