Red-footed Falcon is a bird of open country with some trees,
often near water. Its distinctive method of hunting is
shared by the Kestrel, it regularly hovers, searching the
ground below, then makes a short steep dive towards the
target. Its main prey is large insects, but it will also
take small mammals and birds. The scientific name 'vespertinus'
comes from the Latin word 'vesper' and refers to being
active in the evening. An annual vagrant in varying numbers
to the UK, usually to the south and east of England with
nearly seven hundred records in Britain up until the end of
2000.
There has been one Red-footed Falcon reported from S.
Gloucestershire;
1974: (1)
On September 16th south-west of Berkeley, an adult male was
identified near Severn House Farm and was seen to fly across
the S. Gloucestershire/ Gloucestershire boarder. (Swaine; in
lit. - 1982). This occurrence constitutes the first report
of this species for S. Gloucestershire.