Falco moluccensis
Silhouette: Shyamal · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10%
The spotted kestrel (Falco moluccensis), also known as the Moluccan kestrel, is a falcon found throughout Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Little is known about the spotted kestrel, although it is thought to be closely related to the nankeen kestrel (Falco cenchroides). Both species are considered members of the Falco tinnunculus group.
Spread through Wallacea and Java, the spotted kestrel inhabits grasslands with scattered trees, lightly wooded cultivation, and the edges of primary and tall secondary forest. Along logging roads, it occasionally penetrates forests, and sometimes inhabits clearings within forested areas. It has also been known to live in areas of human habitation.
It is likely they have small habitat ranges. They move around during the wet and dry seasons. This is information is inferred by comparing the movements of the nankeen kestrel (F. cenchroides), their closest relative. Both species are known to be more sedentary when compared to the common kestrel (F. tinnunculus).
Spotted kestrels measure 26–32 cm (10–12.5 in) from head to tail, with a wingspan of 59–71 cm (23–28 in). On average, spotted kestrels weigh... Wikipedia →
Recording0:05
Indonesia · 2025
© Ganjar Cahyadi · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Komodo National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Tangkoko Nature Reserve | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Bali Barat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
No species of the same family or order lives in Raja Ampat, so these are its closest relatives here: other birds.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Kestrel sighting in Raja Ampat on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 147th most-seen of the 200 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Kestrel in Raja Ampat on a given day, against under 5% in April–September and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spotted Kestrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Spotted Kestrel sightings, Raja Ampat ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Komodo National Park (Indonesia, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Spotted Kestrel is recorded against all the birds logged in Raja Ampat (25 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
