Common Kestrel vs Keel-billed Toucan
Falco tinnunculus compared with Ramphastos sulfuratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Kestrel | Keel-billed Toucan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Falco tinnunculus | Ramphastos sulfuratus |
| Order | Falconiformes | Piciformes |
| Family | Falconidae | Ramphastidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 50.0 cm (19.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 74.0 cm (29.1 in) | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) |
| Weight | 190.0 g (6.70 oz) | 400.0 g (14.11 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily voles and mice, also lizards, large insects, and small birds. Hunts by hovering at … | Primarily fruit, supplemented with insects, lizards, eggs, and nestlings. Uses its long bill to reach … |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Common Kestrel only
Keel-billed Toucan only
Common Kestrel
Open country including farmland, grasslands, moorland, and urban areas. Common along motorways and in cities across Europe.
Keel-billed Toucan
Tropical and subtropical lowland rainforests and forest edges from sea level to about 1,900 meters.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Kestrel
A shrill, repeated 'kee-kee-kee-kee' or 'kik-ik-ik', especially near nest. Alarm call is a nasal chattering. Generally less vocal than larger falcons. Calls ring clearly in open country.
Keel-billed Toucan
Produces a repeated frog-like croaking 'prrrek-prrrek' or 'terrio-terrio'. Not melodic; the call resembles a mechanical rattle or frog. Also gives bill-clattering.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Kestrel
Europe, Asia, and Africa. One of the most common and widespread raptors in the Old World.
Keel-billed Toucan
Southern Mexico through Central America to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.
Conservation Status
Common Kestrel
Keel-billed Toucan
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Kestrel
Males have a blue-grey head and tail with a rufous back spotted with black. Females are rufous-brown with heavy barring. Both have a dark moustachial stripe.
Short, hooked grey bill with a yellow cere
Keel-billed Toucan
Black body with a bright yellow throat and chest. Red undertail coverts. The enormous bill is green with orange sides, a blue patch, and a red tip.
Enormous, lightweight, multicolored bill up to 15 cm long — green, orange, blue, and red
About These Birds
Common Kestrel
The common kestrel is Europe's most abundant falcon, famous for its ability to hover motionless in the wind while scanning for prey. Research has shown kestrels can see ultraviolet light, allowing them to detect vole urine trails that reflect UV. The species has adapted remarkably well to urban environments.
Keel-billed Toucan
The keel-billed toucan is the national bird of Belize and one of the most recognizable birds in the Neotropics. Its oversized bill, which can be a third of its body length, is actually very light due to its hollow honeycomb structure. Toucans roost communally, with up to six adults squeezing into a single tree cavity.