Distribution and Habitat

It breeds in Ussuri, northeastern China, and northern Korea, wintering in southern Africa. In South Korea, it is a very rare migrant that passes through mainly along the west coast. It breeds in small numbers in the high mountains of North Korea. Inhabits cropland and tideland.

Behavior

It acts similar to a Common Kestrel and eats insects on the ground.

Characteristic

Similar to Common Kestrel and Eurasian Hobby.

Juvenile

Males and females are similar, but the feather edges of the upper body are broad and yellowish brown. A light brown short eyebrow line aligns with a white forehead. The eye and cere are pale yellow. The underside of body has blackish brown vertical stripes. Black stripes are clear along the tip of the wings.

Male

The upper body is uniformly gray black with white cheeks. The underside of the body is dark blue gray. The lower belly and lower tail coverts are dark reddish brown. The cere and feet are reddish brown and the lower wing coverts are white during flight.

Female

The upper body is dark blue gray with dark brown spots. Underside of body is light pale brown with blackish brown horizontal stripes. The cere and feet are reddish brown. The underside of wings has black stripes on white.

Similar species

Eurasian Hobby: Black spots under the eyes that look like a beard are larger and longer. The undersides of the wings are darker with dense dark brown stripes.