Which bird of prey is commonly called the windhover?

The common kestrel is commonly called the windhover.

This name describes the kestrel’s distinctive hunting technique: it faces into the wind and remains almost stationary in the air while scanning the ground below. The bird uses rapid wingbeats and tail adjustments to hold position before plunging onto prey.

Common kestrels mainly eat small mammals such as voles, although they also take insects, reptiles, and small birds. Their ability to hover makes them especially noticeable above roadsides, grasslands, and farmland.

The common kestrel is widespread across Europe, Africa, and Asia, with additional populations in parts of the Middle East. It is not the only falcon capable of hovering, but “windhover” is a well-established traditional name for this species. The term also inspired Gerard Manley Hopkins’s poem “The Windhover.”