A kestrel is a small hawk (Falco tinnunculus) about 30.5 centimeters (12 inches) long. It has brown, black, and yellow feathers on its chest. In Bible times, kestrels were common in the Holy Land. They lived in villages and the countryside. They made nests on rooftops and among rocks.
Like most hawks, the kestrel can hover in the air and then drop down on its prey. It catches prey with sharp, hooked claws. Kestrels eat mice, small reptiles, and insects.
In ancient Egypt, people embalmed kestrels. They also embalmed the hunting kestrel (Falco cherug). This bird can be tamed and trained to hunt rabbits and other small animals. Falconry (hunting with trained hawks) was well known in ancient times. The Assyrians also practiced falconry, as shown in the records of Ashurbanipal.
Because kestrels hunt and eat other animals, they were considered ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:14; Job 28:7). Some Bible translations use the word “kite” instead of “kestrel” in Leviticus 11:14 and Deuteronomy 14:13. This shows how difficult it can be to identify biblical birds exactly.