Birds comprised 51.9% of the diet of a pair of common kestrels Falco tinnunculus in 1997 in a suburb of Algiers. Insects were the most numerous prey type between 1998 to 2002 with a maximum of 67.5 % in 2001. Insect prey taken included coleoptera Scaurus sp. (E = 0.90) and the orthopterans Pamphagus elephas (E = 0.74) and Eyprepocnemis plorans (E = 0.09). At the species level, the hybrid sparrow ( Passer domesticus x Passer hispaniolensis) was the commonest taken prey (47.2 %) and it had the highest density among the recorded birds. This prey species was the most prefered among the birds recorded (E = 0.35).
Sex skewed kleptoparasitic exploitation of kestrel Falco tinnunculus was studied on foraging areas in south-east Poland. All kestrel prey subject to kleptoparasitism attempts were small mammals caught by kestrels hunting by hovering.. Kleptoparasites attacked male kestrels more frequently than females. Males did not defend their prey as vigorously as females but males were more efficient at capturing further prey following loss of prey. Males also seemed to select habitats that facilitated more effective foraging which reduced costs of lost prey. Kleptoparasitism on kestrels was more successful by groups than by individual attackers.