- Lifespan
- 12–17 years in the wild, with some individuals recorded over 20 years
- Size & Weight
- 32–35 cm long, wingspan 65–72 cm; females 190–240 g, males 140–180 g
- Habitat
- Open and semi-open landscapes including farmland, grassland, moorland, coastal cliffs, and urban areas with suitable perches for hunting.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK as a year-round resident; breeding populations supplemented by continental visitors in autumn and winter, with numbers peaking in winter.
- Diet
- Primarily small mammals such as field voles, wood mice, and shrews; also takes small birds, insects, and occasionally reptiles.
- Prey
- Field voles, wood mice, bank voles, shrews, sparrows, skylarks, grasshoppers, and occasionally lizards
- Predators
- Golden eagles, peregrine falcons, rough-legged buzzards, and occasionally tawny owls; eggs and chicks also taken by carrion crows and magpies
- Mating Season
- March to July
- Breeding
- Clutch of 3–5 eggs; incubation period 28–31 days; fledging at 27–28 days; typically one brood per year, occasionally two in southern regions
- Behaviour
- Famous for its characteristic hovering flight while hunting, holding position into the wind with rapid wing beats. Highly adaptable and increasingly common in urban and suburban settings. Solitary or in pairs outside breeding season; males may maintain territories year-round.