- Lifespan
- 7–10 years in the wild, with some individuals recorded living longer in captivity
- Size & Weight
- 25–30 cm, wingspan 50–67 cm; 140–238 g (females larger than males)
- Habitat
- Open moorland, grassland, coastal cliffs, and wetland margins where small birds are abundant.
- UK Distribution
- Breeds primarily in northern England, Scotland, and Wales; migratory populations arrive in spring (April–May) and depart in autumn. Small resident population year-round in upland areas.
- Diet
- Small birds taken in flight, including skylarks, meadow pipits, dunnocks, and warblers; occasionally small mammals and large insects.
- Prey
- Skylarks, meadow pipits, dunnocks, warblers, wrens, and occasionally small rodents
- Predators
- Golden eagles, peregrine falcons, and occasionally red foxes (targeting young or nesting birds)
- Mating Season
- April to August
- Breeding
- Clutch size 3–5 eggs, incubation period 28–32 days, fledging 24–26 days; typically one brood per year. Both sexes defend territory fiercely.
- Behaviour
- Swift, agile hunters using rapid, low-level flight to surprise prey over open ground. Males perform dramatic aerial displays during courtship, diving steeply and calling loudly. Often hunts from prominent perches and is highly territorial during breeding season.