Sparrowhawk vs Kestrel: How to Tell Them Apart in the UK
Updated 6 October 2026
Side by side
| Feature | Sparrowhawk | Kestrel |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Male about 28 cm, female up to about 38 cm. The female is far bigger than the male. | About 32 to 35 cm. Sexes close in size. |
| Key plumage | Male: blue-grey above, orange bars below. Female: grey-brown above, grey bars below, pale stripe over the eye. | Male: chestnut back with black spots, grey head, grey tail with a black band. Female: brown, barred above, streaked below. |
| Eye and legs | Yellow to orange eye. Long, thin yellow legs. | Dark eye with a dark "moustache" below it. Shorter yellow legs. |
| Structure | Short, broad, blunt wings. Long, square-ended tail. Small head. | Long, pointed wings. Long tail, rounded when fanned. |
| Flight | A few quick flaps, then a glide. Low, fast dashes along cover. Soars in circles on fine days. Does not hover. | Hovers into the wind with tail fanned and head still. Also hunts from posts and wires. |
| Song | None. | None. |
| Call | Silent most of the year. A fast, chattering "kek-kek-kek" near the nest. | A shrill, repeated "kee-kee-kee", mostly near the nest. |
| Habitat | Woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens, including town centres. | Open ground: rough grassland, road verges, farmland, moors, coastal cliffs. |
| When in the UK | All year. | All year. |
| UK status | Amber list. About 31,000 pairs (2016). | Amber list. About 31,000 pairs (2016). Down 39% between 1995 and 2024. |
Swipe the table sideways on a small screen.
The quickest way to tell them apart
Watch what it does for ten seconds. Kestrels hunt voles by hovering or by sitting on a post and staring at the grass. Sparrowhawks hunt small birds by surprise, using hedges, fences and buildings as cover, and they do not hover.
Then look at the wing tips. Pointed means falcon, so Kestrel. Blunt and rounded means hawk, so Sparrowhawk.
By sight
Perched birds are easier than most people expect.
- Underparts. Sparrowhawks are barred: neat horizontal lines across the chest and belly. Kestrels are streaked and spotted, with marks running down the body.
- Eye. A staring yellow or orange eye belongs to a Sparrowhawk. The Kestrel has a dark eye, which gives it a gentler face.
- Back. A warm chestnut back with black spots is a Kestrel. Sparrowhawks are plain grey or grey-brown above.
- Posture. Sparrowhawks sit upright on long, thin legs, often inside a tree or on a fence with prey. Kestrels sit in the open on wires, poles and roofs.
Overhead, a soaring Sparrowhawk shows a small head, broad wings and a long, narrow tail with square corners. A Kestrel overhead looks slimmer, with longer, narrower wings and a dark band at the tail tip.
By sound
Neither sings, and both are quiet away from the nest. In spring and summer, a fast chatter from inside a wood is likely a Sparrowhawk. A shrill, ringing "kee-kee-kee" around a barn, church tower or cliff is likely a Kestrel.
The better sound clue is other birds. When Swallows, Starlings and tits all give thin, urgent alarm calls at once, look up for a Sparrowhawk. If you catch a call on your phone, check it with Sound ID.
By season and habitat
Both are resident and can be seen in any month. Sparrowhawks are easiest in early spring, when pairs soar and display over their woods on bright mornings, and in winter, when they hunt garden feeders. Kestrels are easiest wherever there is rough grass: motorway verges, field margins, sea walls and moorland edges.
The Kestrel used to be the bird of prey everyone knew. Its numbers have fallen and the Buzzard is now the UK's commonest raptor. In towns and gardens you are now more likely to meet a Sparrowhawk.
Common mistakes
- Assuming every Kestrel hovers. They spend long spells perched or flying from A to B.
- Calling a bird on a garden kill a Kestrel. A raptor plucking a bird on your lawn is nearly always a Sparrowhawk.
- Turning a big female Sparrowhawk into a Goshawk. Goshawks are Buzzard-sized, scarce, and seldom seen over gardens.
- Mistaking a Cuckoo for a Sparrowhawk. Cuckoos are grey and barred too, but have pointed wings and a thin bill.
- Calling a hovering bird a Kestrel without a look. Buzzards hang in the wind too, but they are much bigger.
Where to see both
You do not need a reserve for either, but open wetlands with woodland nearby give you both in one visit. At RSPB Minsmere Sparrowhawks hunt over the reedbed and Kestrels work the grassland and dunes. Rutland Water has Kestrels over the rough banks and Sparrowhawks along the wooded edges.
FAQ
Do Sparrowhawks hover?
No. Sparrowhawks hunt by surprise, flying fast and low along cover. A small bird of prey hovering in one spot over grass is a Kestrel.
What is the bird of prey that hovers by the motorway?
A Kestrel. Road verges are full of voles and are rarely disturbed on foot, so Kestrels hunt them a lot. Buzzards also hang in the wind sometimes, but they are much larger and broader winged.
What bird of prey is killing birds in my garden?
Almost always a Sparrowhawk. Males take tits, finches and sparrows. The larger females can take Starlings, thrushes and pigeons. It is natural behaviour, and a sign that your garden holds plenty of small birds.
Which is more common, the Sparrowhawk or the Kestrel?
They are level. The BTO puts each at about 31,000 pairs in the UK (2016). Kestrels are easier to notice because they hunt in the open, but their numbers fell by 39% between 1995 and 2024.
Log both raptors
Sparrowhawk and Kestrel are both in the Birdedex. Add the next one you see and start filling in your birds of prey.
Open the Birdedex →