Bird of the Day: Mauritius kestrel
Mauritius kestrel Falco punctatus
In the early 1970's this beautiful bird had the dubious title of 'World's rarest bird', with only 4 left in the wild. Today, thanks to pioneering work by Dr Carl Jones and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, over several hundred kestrels fly free in the forests of Mauritius, and the species has been taken off the critical list. Captive breeding and intensive management of wild birds over the last 25 years have undoubtedly saved the Mauritius kestrel from extinction.
My wife and I were lucky enough to see these glorious falcons flying free in the valleys of Mauritius several years ago.