Sparrowhawk vs Kestrel
How to tell these two garden look-alikes apart.
The quickest tell. Sparrowhawk: short broad wings and a long square-ended tail, built for ambush. Kestrel: hovers on beating wings over verges. No other small raptor does this.
Photo: Stanislav Murashkin, CC BY (iNaturalist)
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
How to spot it
- Short broad wings and a long square-ended tail, built for ambush
- Finely barred underparts; male grey-blue above, female bigger and brown
- Long yellow legs and a fierce, staring eye
Birder's tip: Bursts low over a hedge or feeder and is gone. It never hovers like a Kestrel.
Photo: Frank Vassen, CC BY (iNaturalist)
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus
How to spot it
- Hovers on beating wings over verges. No other small raptor does this
- Pointed falcon wings and a chestnut back with black spots
- Male has a blue-grey head and a grey tail with one black band
Birder's tip: The motionless hover, head held dead-still over a verge, identifies it instantly.
At a glance
| Sparrowhawk | Kestrel | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | female much larger than male | about Sparrowhawk-sized |
| When you'll see it | Resident, here all year | Resident, here all year |
| Latin name | Accipiter nisus | Falco tinnunculus |
Hear the difference
Their calls are often the giveaway. Have a listen.
Sparrowhawk call
Kestrel call
Learn them so they stick
Learn Birds teaches the UK's birds by sight and song, with real photos and recordings. It uses spaced repetition so the difference sticks for good.
Free. No signup. Works offline.