Article Nº 1538 Bird Vol. II · p. 98
Kestrel (Cerchneis tinnunculus)
Original title: Francelho (Cerchneis tinnunculus)
The kestrel, a falcon nesting in Madeira, sometimes seen over roofs in central Funchal but declining through hunting.
A bird of the family Falconidae which nests in Madeira and can sometimes be seen over the rooftops of houses, even in the centre of Funchal. It is much less common today than it once was, owing to the war waged on it by certain hunters.
It feeds mainly on lizards, crickets and mice, but when the opportunity arises it also devours small birds, such as canaries, goldfinches, etc.
Its clutch often consists of five or six eggs, of variable shape and colour, generally laid in the crevices of inaccessible rocks.
Places mentioned