kestrel
kestrel — noun
1. a small bird of prey that stays in one place in the air high above the ground wh
a small bird of prey that stays in one place in the air high above the ground while it looks for small animals such as mice and insects to eat
Mei spotted a kestrel hovering above the field near her school.
hovering above [place] — typical hunting behaviour
The kestrel sat on the fence post and watched for mice in the grass below.
sat on [perch] + watched for [prey]
Kenji watched a kestrel through his binoculars as it hung still in the wind.
Farmers often see kestrels hunting along the edges of their wheat fields.
A kestrel flew low over the grass and came back up with a cricket.
- falcon
a more general term; all kestrels are falcons, but not all falcons are kestrels — falcons include larger species like the peregrine
- hawk
informally used for any small bird of prey, but technically hawks are a different family of birds with broader wings
- windhover
an old poetic name for the common kestrel, referring to its ability to hover in the wind
用法筆記
Often used when a learner is describing birds they see in open countryside or along roadsides. The word 'hover' is the verb most commonly associated with kestrels because of their unique hunting style.