Red-footed falcons grace our skies

It has been a rather good spring for Norfolk’s birdwatchers. For me, it started with the Black Lark at Winterton, only the third record for Britain and a truly stunning bird. The series of weather systems conspired to draw in a series of birds that would normally pass to the east of our shores, making for some excellent birdwatching. The presence of a number of Red-footed Falcons is typical of this pattern. These small falcons (noticeably smaller than a Kestrel) are long distance migrants that breed from eastern Europe east to Mongolia. Some 30,000 pairs are thought to breed in Europe but virtually all of these do so in Russia and just a handful of individuals is encountered here in a typical year. This year, however, has proved to be exceptional, with individuals reported from across the country and with two birds (a male and a female) present over several days at Hockwold Washes (just outside the county boundary).

Red-footed Falcons undertake what is known as a loop migration. During the autumn they take an easterly route south from their breeding grounds and down through the eastern end of the Mediterranean and into Africa. The wintering grounds themselves are in southern Africa and many thousands of individuals may gather together where food is abundant. The spring migration follows a more westerly route which brings them back into western Europe, with birds reaching Britain in varying numbers depending upon the prevailing weather conditions. Many of the birds to reach the westernmost parts of Europe are younger birds, perhaps suggesting that either these take a more westerly route or they are less experienced in navigating home. The timing of the annual migration, coupled with the loop it takes, means that Red-footed Falcons are most likely to be encountered in Norfolk from late April to early June.

Red-footed Falcons are fairly distinctive; the plumage of adult males is a mix of different shades of grey and black, save for the undertail feathers which, like the feet, are red. Females show a slate grey back, wings and tail, with darker barring running across it, the underside a beautiful rufous buff. The female bird at Hockwold was distant but even so, still showed the generally pale head which contrasted with the grey upperparts and buff underparts. In flight, Red-footed Falcons can seem quite compact, shorter winged than a Hobby and noticeably smaller than a Kestrel. Like a Kestrel, the red-foot may hover into the wind, before dropping down onto prey. However, it may also hunt like a Hobby, making a direct approach to take an insect or (very occasionally) a small bird. They will even hop about on the ground to take insects.