The Nankeen Kestrel is a small falcon with a rufous back and pale, dark-streaked underparts. It hunts in open country such as grassland and farmland.
The upperparts are mostly rufous with dark streaks, and the wingtips are black. The underparts are pale buff with dark streaks. Females are more heavily marked; males have a grayish crown and tail, with individual variation.
It uses grassland, farmland, and lightly wooded areas in Australia. It eats small mammals, birds, lizards, and insects, locating prey from a perch or while hovering before dropping to catch it.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.