Identification: 30-33 cm, 150-280 g; sexes alike, f slightly larger than m.Ad: Body rich russet. Head plain blue-grey to grey-brown, with fine black streaking; thin black malar stripes and whitish throat. Upper wing coverts and back spotted or barred black, upper surface of outer flight feathers sooty brown. Rump plain grey or with some black barring; upper tail grey with narrow black barring, broad black subterminal bar and whitish fringe. Underparts streaked black. Underwing coverts white with black spotting or barring, under surface of flight feathers and tail whitish with blackish barring, Feet, orbital ring and cere yellow; bill dark grey with blackish tip; eye dark brown. Plumage dimorphic but less so than in other races of tinnunculus, with ff exhibiting mm characteristics. Mm with plainer, bluer heads, no barring on rump or central tail feathers except for subterminal bar; ff generally browner, but usually with grey heads with some dark streaking, and plain or barred rump and upper tail. Juv: Generally paler brown and more uniform colour than ads; head brownish. Heavier streaking on head, upper and underparts. Flight feathers and tail tipped buff. Feet pale yellow, orbital ring and cere bluish grey; bill dark grey with blackish tip; eye dark brown. Confusing species: Smaller and smaller-headed than Greater Kestrel, which has paler brown head and body, barred (not spotted) back, paler underwing and white eye in ad. Mm Lesser Kestrel smaller, unmarked chestnut back, blue-grey secondaries and lightly streaked, pale-buff underparts.Voice: Alarm call kik…kik…kik… typical of Falco species but very high pitched. Contact call high, metallic tink…tink…tink.. similar to alarm call of Blacksmith Plover; used in courtship displays and most interactions between members of pair. Soliciting call shrill, tremulous kreee…kreee…kreee…. Copulation call similar to alarm call.