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Description | Photographer |
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Adult male Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) with lizard (skink?) prey. This bird was photographed in May 2010 in the Western Cape winelands, South Africa. It was flushed into the vineyard by a Pied Crow but later emerged without the lizard so it either cached it or dropped it in the grape vines. | Freddie Strauss |
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A ringed adult female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in May 2008 near Durbanville, Western Cape province, South Africa. It was ringed as an adult 3.4km away and just over 1.5 years before the picture was taken. | Freddie Strauss |
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Two juvenile Rock Kestrels and their mother Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) around the nesting pot of the second clutch of eggs. This second clutch is started when the chicks are still in the first nest. In this case, the pair nest on the balcony of a flat in Tygervalley, South Africa in two flower pots, one on each side of the balcony. | Andre Burger |
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Two juvenile Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) that have left their nest in a flower pot, but are not flying yet. This is typically the period where the nestlings move around and venture away from the nest on foot, if the location allows. This period in development is called a brancher by the falconers. Note the headless sparrow that one of the adults has brought for the chicks to eat. Photographed in Tygervalley, South Africa. | Andre Burger |
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Female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) on her first egg of the second clutch. This pair nests in a flower pot on the balcony of a flat in Tygervalley, South Africa. | Andre Burger |
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A brood of recently fledged Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) taken near Yzerfontein, South Africa. | Cheryl Pocock |
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A male Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perches near his incubating female in a nest on a balcony near Cape Town, South Africa. | Anthony van Zyl |
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A female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) looks out for her male to return to their quarry site with food. Take near Cape Town, South Africa in the early breeding season. | Anthony van Zyl |
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An pair of Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) perched on the Slangkop Lighthouse, Kommetjie, South Africa. This is the highest lighthouse on the South African coast. | Anthony van Zyl |
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An adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) at her nest in a flower pot on a house balcony in Langebaan, South Africa. | Neil Hagen |
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The brood of Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) recently fledged from their nest in a flower pot on a house balcony in Langebaan, South Africa. | Neil Hagen |
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An adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Niewwoudtville in September 2008. | Pieter Martins |
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Adult male Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) leaving the nest after the female has arrived to incubate the eggs. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Adult male Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) landing at a nest site to incubate the eggs after delivering prey to the female. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Adult male Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) of the pair that nest in the hanging flower pot. This bird was ringed as a nestling and is 5 years old. | Anthony van Zyl |
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A brood of day old chicks of Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) in the nest in the hanging flower pot. | Douwe van Popta |
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Adult male Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) of the pair that nest in the hanging flower pot. | Douwe van Popta |
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Adult male Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) of the pair that nest in the hanging flower pot. | Douwe van Popta |
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Close up of an adult female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) on a nest in a hanging flower pot. | Douwe van Popta |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) incubating in a hanging flower pot. | Douwe van Popta |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) about to decend after prey after hovering on the grassy slopes of the Drakensberg mountains. Photographed in November 2006 in Golden Gate National Park, South Africa. | Gina Wilgenbus |
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Unusual looking Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched on a telephone pole in Namibia in March 2005. This bird has quite a light plumage and moustachial streak which is normally found in the Common Kestrel. | Gina Wilgenbus |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, in March 2007. | Gina Wilgenbus |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched in the shade of a camelthorn tree during the midday desert heat. Photographed in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, in March 2007. | Gina Wilgenbus |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched on the sandstone rocks of the lower Drakensberg mountains. Photographed in November 2006 in Golden Gate National Park, South Africa. | Gina Wilgenbus |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Melkbos up the West Coast of South Africa. | Louise Bester |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Waenhuiskrans up the West Coast of South Africa. | Johan Smal |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Langebaan up the West Coast of South Africa. | Gloria van Litsenborgh |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in the West Coast National Park, South Africa. To see more of Trevor Hardaker's excellent bird images, visit www.hardaker.co.za | Trevor Hardaker |
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A recently fledged Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed in the West Coast National Park, South Africa. To see more of Trevor Hardaker's excellent bird images, visit www.hardaker.co.za | Trevor Hardaker |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) in flight photographed in the West Coast National Park, South Africa. To see more of Trevor Hardaker's excellent bird images, visit www.hardaker.co.za | Trevor Hardaker |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) eating a Dove in Cape Town, South Africa. To see more of Trevor Hardaker's excellent bird images, visit www.hardaker.co.za | Trevor Hardaker |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) hanging in the wind on the top of Lion's Head, Cape Town, South Africa. This form of hunting is the more energy efficient than hovering, as the kestrel does not have to spend as much energy keeping itself on one spot, but rather makes use of the wind to keep it airborne. | Marian Oliver |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched on the top of Lion's Head, Cape Town, South Africa | Marian Oliver |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched on the top of Lion's Head, Cape Town, South Africa | Marian Oliver |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched on the top of Lion's Head, Cape Town, South Africa | Marian Oliver |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched on the top of Lion's Head, Cape Town, South Africa. The buildings of Sea Point can be seen in the background. | Marian Oliver |
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Female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) on guard near her nest of young chicks. Photographed on the West Coast, South Africa | Anthony van Zyl |
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Female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) on guard near her nest of young chicks. Photographed on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa | Anthony van Zyl |
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A roosting Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) on a veranda light of a house in Britannia Bay, West Coast, South Africa | Marianne Franck |
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Pair of breeding Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) photographed in Britannia Bay, West Coast, South Africa | Marianne Franck |
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Two downy Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) chicks next to two unhatched eggs. These two eggs were laid early and the birds then abandoned the nest for two weeks, before returning to lay two more eggs, which hatched. Nest on the veranda in a house in Britannia Bay, West Coast, South Africa | Marianne Franck |
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Brood of Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) of about 25 days old in a nest hole in a donga. Photograhed near Papendrop, West Coast, South Africa | Kevin Shaw |
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Female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched near her nest on a building, West Coast, South Africa. Note the metal ring on her left leg to help identify her as an individual and with contact information should she be recovered by someone should she die. | Rob Simmons |
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Female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched near her nest on a building, West Coast, South Africa | Rob Simmons |
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Recently fledged Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus), West Coast, South Africa | Rob Simmons |
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Pair of Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus) copulating near their nest site, Cape Town, South Africa. Note that the male is calling while copulating. This call is very similar to the alarm call but is quicker. Often the female trills at the same time. | Koos de Goede |
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An adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed on the slopes of Table Mountain, South Africa. | Lucia Rodrigues |
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An immature Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) scratching its head. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) at Cape Point, on the boardwalk to Diaz beach, Cape Point, South Africa. Taken on 21st December 2005 at about 11h00. This individual allowed the photographer to come to within about 3m before flying away. | Georges Delpierre |
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A clutch of three Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) eggs in a Verreaux's Eagle (Aquila verreauxii) nest. This eagle nest was in a telephone tower in the Free State, South Africa. The eagle clutch failed and the kestrels took over once the eagles had stopped activity at the nest. The infertile eagle egg is visible in the picture. | Vodacom |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) fledgling begging at an adult flying into the nest cliff. Fish Hoek, South Africa. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) fledgling begging at an adult flying into the nest cliff. Fish Hoek, South Africa. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) fledgling flying while begging at an adult flying into the nest cliff. Fish Hoek, South Africa. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) fledgling displaces an adult Rock Kestrel that perched nearby on the cliff. Fish Hoek, South Africa. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) nest in a window box on a house in Yzerfontein, South Africa. | Clive Basson |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks raised in a window box on a house in Yzerfontein, South Africa. | Clive Basson |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks raised in a window box on a house in Yzerfontein, South Africa. | Clive Basson |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks about to fledge from their window box nest on a house in Yzerfontein, South Africa. | Clive Basson |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks about to fledge from their window box nest on a house in Yzerfontein, South Africa. | Clive Basson |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks fledged from a window box on a house in Yzerfontein, South Africa. | Clive Basson |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chick raised in an attic on the west coast of South Africa. Chick about 14 days old. | Dan & Graham Bull |
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A brood of Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks raised in an attic on the west coast of South Africa. Chicks about 22 days old. | Dan & Graham Bull |
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Two Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) fledlings raised on the west coast of South Africa. | Dan & Graham Bull |
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Two Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) fledlings raised on the west coast of South Africa. | Dan & Graham Bull |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) fledling from the west coast of South Africa. Note the barring on the back rather than spots and buff edging to the end of the tail and flight feathers. These are typical characteristics of Rock Kestrels before their first moult. | Dan & Graham Bull |
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A half eaten mouse cached away in the trunk of a palm tree by a Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus). | Dan & Graham Bull |
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Pair of adult Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus). This picture is a good illustration of how similar males and females are. | Dan & Graham Bull |
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A female Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus). | Dan & Graham Bull |
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A male Rock Kestrels (Falco rupicolus). | Dan & Graham Bull |
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A female Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched near her nest. | Anthony van Zyl |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) used for falconry display, perched on a block. This picture was taken at the Spier Wine Estate where Henk Chalmers runs a rehabilitation and falconry display center. | Anthony van Zyl |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chick in the hand, approximately 15 days old. This chick was rehabilitated by Meryl Cochlan at Britannia Bay, South Africa. | Meryl Cochlan |
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A recently fledged Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chick eating a Skink. Another one of Meryl Cochlan's kestrels that breed in a box mounted on her house. | Meryl Cochlan |
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Recently fledged Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks from Britannia Bay, South Africa | Meryl Cochlan |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) wing moult showing moult of primaries moving in two directions. | Zephné Bernitz |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) nest in a building in Port Nolloth, South Africa, September 2004. Note the variation in colouring of the different eggs. | Rob Simmons |
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Adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) at a nest site in Port Nolloth, South Africa, September 2004. These birds bred under a roof outside of the banks in Port Nolloth. | Rob Simmons |
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A Rock Kestrel nest (Falco rupicolus) site in an eroded gully, Olifant's River, South Africa, October 2003. Another unusual nest site of a Rock Kestrel, which illustrates how adaptable they are, even in the absence of cliffs. The amount of kestrel mutes around the nest site indicates that the nest site successfully hatched chicks. | Kevin Shaw |
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Adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) with a lizard near a nest on a building in Montague Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa, September 2003. These kestrels nested on top of an old sparrow nest on top of light at the entrance to the warehouse. | Gavin Chamberlain |
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Two Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks in a nest near Steenberg, Cape Town, South Africa, November 2004. This nest site is very close to a well climbed rock climbing route. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Three Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks in a nest near Cape Point, Cape Town, South Africa, December 2003. This nest site is right next to the sea without good protection. The nest site itself is quite wet and the chick struggled to remain dry. Once chick was heavily infested with ticks. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Typical well used Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) cliff nest site on the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa, December 2004. Well used nest sites like this are obvious to find. Rock Kestrels prefer to nest in crevices like this one, rather than open ledges. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks in a cliff nest on the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa, December 2004 | Anthony van Zyl |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched on a light pole on the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa, May 2005. Kestrels in the mountainous areas of the Cape Peninsula typically do not perch on lights like this. There is, however, a healthy population nesting in suburbia in Cape Town who do use light poles as a regular hunting perch. | Ann Koeslag |
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Adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) in a nest in a warehouse, Koeberg, South Africa | Richard Jupin |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chick in the hand from the Koeberg warehouse nest, South Africa | Richard Jupin |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) adult perched in a sheltered position along the South African southern coast line, De Kelders, South Africa | Anthony van Zyl |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) female in a threatening position at the entrance of her nest box as the nest is checked from the back door, Brackenfell, South Africa | Koos de Goede |
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Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks on a cliff ledge, Tarkastad, South Africa. These chicks have just been ringed with metal SAFRING rings. The fate of these birds could be recorded if the details of the ring and why the bird died is returned to SAFRING, University of Cape Town. | Anthony van Zyl |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) nest with four eggs, Tarkastad, South Africa. This nest is in an old Black Crow nest in a pine tree. Rock Kestrels typically use old nests of other birds when cliff nest sites are unavailable. | Anthony van Zyl |
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An unusual Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) nest on a cliff, Tarkastad, South Africa. Rock Kestrels like to nest in holes or crevices so to see four eggs on a reasonably open ledge like this is unusual. | Anthony van Zyl |
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A Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) caught on a balchtri baited with white mice, Tarkstad, South Africa. One can clearly see the foot caught in the nooses, while the mice are unharmed. | Anthony van Zyl |
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Three Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks at the entrance of their nest box, Brakenfell, South Africa. | Koos de Goede |
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Adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) feeding chicks in a nest box, Tyegerberg, South Africa. | Braam van Zyl |
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Pair of Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) perched in a palm tree near Century City, Cape Town, South Africa. | Ann Koeslag |
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An immature Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed on a building in Tygervalley near Cape Town, South Africa. This picture illustrates the buff wing edges on the primaries that can be seen in first year birds. | Martin Adelbert |
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An immature Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) photographed on a building in Tygervalley near Cape Town, South Africa. Immature Rock Kestrels have barring or large triangular shapes on their wings rather than spots as can be seen in this photo. | Martin Adelbert |
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Two about to fledge Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) chicks taken on the Constantiaberg, Cape Town, South Africa at the end of the breeding season, 2004. | Doug Harebottle |
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Adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus). More pictures available from the picture library at the Transvaal Museum, South Africa. | Martin Goetz, Transvaal Museum |
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Adult Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus) diving at a Whitenecked Raven, Silvermine, Cape Town, South Africa. | Ann Koeslag |