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Food includes small vertebrates and insects
found in various habitats, from open areas to forests. The lesser kestrel nests in South Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia and spends winter in Africa, mainly south of the Sahara.
Body length: 27 - 33 cm, wingspan: 63 - 72 cm, weight: 140 - 180 grams. The females are slightly larger than the males.
This species is in danger of extinction, due to destruction of its habitat, harm to its nesting sites, (including within cities) and use of pesticides. In Israel, the lesser kestrel has become accustomed to living in urban areas, nesting within old buildings and hunting in city parks. Demolition of old buildings and city growth at the cost of green areas harms this species significantly. The lesser kestrel population in Israel is reducing, as it is in the rest of the world. Today, the lesser kestrel is determined a vulnerable species, according to the Red List of Threatened Species in Israel and the world. To assist in preserving this species, the Biblical Zoo has connected with organizations, such as the Nature and Parks Authority and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, as well as with other zoological parks and academic institutions in Israel.