Falco duboisi
The Réunion Kestrel (Falco duboisi) was an extinct raptor, endemic to the Mascarene island of Réunion, vanishing from the world stage by the early 18th century. Known primarily from subfossil remains and a single 1674 account by Dubois, its exact plumage coloration remains largely unknown, though it was likely similar to other kestrel species, exhibiting rufous and brown tones typical of the *Falco tinnunculus* complex. Its size was intermediate, larger than the extant Malagasy Kestrel (*Falc...
This kestrel inhabited the diverse forested and open landscapes of Réunion Island, likely ranging from coastal lowlands to higher elevations of the volcanic interior, adapting to the island's varied terrain before its demise.
Its diet likely consisted of small vertebrates such as lizards, geckos, and possibly small birds, alongside a variety of large insects, captured through its active hunting style.
Due to its extinction in the early 18th century, detailed behavioral patterns of the Réunion Kestrel are largely unknown and inferred from its close living relatives, such as the Malagasy Kestrel. It was likely a diurnal hunter, perching prominently to survey its surroundings before launching int...
The Réunion Kestrel was strictly endemic to Réunion Island, a volcanic island located in the Mascarene Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Its historical distribution encompassed the entirety of the island, from the humid coastal plains to the higher, forested slopes of the interior, up to at least ...
Extinct
- The Réunion Kestrel was first described by Sieur Dubois in 1674, who referred to it as a 'Spur-hawk' or 'Emerillon' (Merlin). - Its scientific name, *Falco duboisi*, honors Dubois, the only person to provide a written account of the living bird. - Despite Dubois's account, the species was long ...