Common kestrel
Adult male Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Aves
Subclass:	Neornithes
Infraclass:	Neognathae
Superorder:	Neoaves
Order:	Falconiformes
Family:	Falconidae
Genus:	Falco
Binomial name
Falco tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758
Western part of range of F. t. tinnunculus (also occurs in Siberia farther east) Yellow = breeding only, green = all-year

Typical in-flight appearance of a common kestrel

Falco tinnunculus egg

The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the 'European kestrel', 'Eurasian kestrel', or 'Old World kestrel'. The bird lives all over Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In Britain, where no other brown falcon occurs, it is generally just called 'the kestrel'.