Common Kestrel vs Roseate Spoonbill
Falco tinnunculus compared with Platalea ajaja
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Kestrel | Roseate Spoonbill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Falco tinnunculus | Platalea ajaja |
| Order | Falconiformes | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Falconidae | Threskiornithidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 81.0 cm (31.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 74.0 cm (29.1 in) | 127.0 cm (50.0 in) |
| Weight | 190.0 g (6.70 oz) | 1500.0 g (52.91 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily voles and mice, also lizards, large insects, and small birds. Hunts by hovering at … | Small fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects, and plant material filtered from shallow water by sweeping the … |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 1-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Common Kestrel only
Roseate Spoonbill only
Common Kestrel
Open country including farmland, grasslands, moorland, and urban areas. Common along motorways and in cities across Europe.
Roseate Spoonbill
Shallow coastal lagoons, estuaries, mangroves, and freshwater marshes. Nests in colonies in trees and shrubs.
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.
Roseate Spoonbill
Low, grunting and guttural croaking sounds at nesting colonies. Generally quiet. Alarm calls are softer croaks. Vocalizations lack melodic quality; purely functional colony sounds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Kestrel
Europe, Asia, and Africa. One of the most common and widespread raptors in the Old World.
Roseate Spoonbill
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America to Argentina.
Conservation Status
Common Kestrel
Roseate Spoonbill
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
Roseate Spoonbill
Vivid pink body plumage with darker carmine on the wings. Bare greenish-grey head. White neck and back. Intensity of pink depends on diet.
Long, flat, spatulate greyish bill used for sweeping through shallow water
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.
Roseate Spoonbill
The roseate spoonbill is the only spoonbill species in the Americas and one of the most striking wading birds in the Western Hemisphere. Like flamingos, their pink color comes from carotenoid pigments in their crustacean prey. Nearly hunted to extinction for their plumes in the 19th century, they have recovered substantially.