Forms: α. 6–7 castrell, 6–8 -el, 6–9 -ill, 7–8 -il, -eril; kastrell, -il(l, -al, -el. β. 6–7 kist-, 7 kest-, kaist-, keistrell, 6– kestrel, -il. γ. 7–9 coistrell, -il, coystrel, -il. [ME. castrel, app. corresp. (through *cas’rel, *casserel) to OF. cresserelle, crécerelle, quercerelle, mod. Poitevin casserelle. The ulterior etymology is obscure, and it is difficult to reconcile the different OF. forms with each other or the It. equivalents. See Godef., Cotgr., and Rolland Faune popul. de la France, II. 31. The rare coistrel is prob. due to confusion with COISTREL, groom, varlet.]
1. A species of small hawk (Falco tinnunculus, or Tinnunculus alaudarius), also called Stannel or Windhover, remarkable for its habit of sustaining itself in the same place in the air with its head to the wind. The name is extended to about 15 foreign species of the restricted genus Tinnunculus.
α. 14[?]. Turn. Totenham, Feest, ix. Ther was castrell in cambys, And capulls in cullys.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 170. There is a kinde of Hauke, that naturally is terrible to other Haukes, and preserveth the Pigion: the common people call it Castrell.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. ii. IV. (1651), 268. Some reclaime Ravens, Castrils, Pies, &c., and man them for their pleasures.
1726. Leoni, trans. Alberti’s Archit., I. 97/1. If in one corner … you enclose a Kastrel, it will secure your Dove-house from birds of prey.
1829. J. Hogg, in Four C. Eng. Lett. (Camden), 421. The hills of Westmoreland that can nourish nothing better than a castril or stonechat!
β. 1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., I. ii. 175. Those eggs which have ben filcht from the nest[s] of Crowes and Kestrells.
1608. Topsell, Serpents (1658), 655. Those kind of Hawks which are called Kaistrels or Fleingals.
1766. Pennant, Zool. (1768), I. 149. The kestril breeds in the hollows of trees.
1816. Kirby & Sp., Entomol. (1828), I. ix. 288. Among the Accipitres the kestril devours abundance of insects.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., II. III. 348. As on unheard wings The kestrel hangs above the mouse.
1893. Newton, Dict. Birds, 479. Some of the islands of the Ethiopian Region have peculiar species of Kestrel, as the T. newtoni of Madagascar … and T. gracilis of the Seychelles;… the Kestrel of the Cape Verd Islands has been separated as T. neglectus.
γ. a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife, etc. (1638), 183. Like a Coistrell he strives to fill himselfe with wind, and flies against it.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., III. 1119. The Musquet, and the Coystrel were too weak.
1831. H. Neele, Romance Hist., I. 21. I would stake my noblest falcon against the vilest coystril in England.
b. fig., or in fig. context, applied to persons, usually with contemptuous force.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 64. Nay I thought no lesse … that you would proue such a kinde of kistrell.
1621. Fletcher, Pilgrim, I. i. But there is another in the wind—some castrell That hovers over her.
1820. Scott, Monast., xix. Thou art thyself a kite, and kestrel to boot.
2. attrib., as kestrel bird, breed, kind.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. iii. 4. In his kestrell kynd A pleasing vaine of glory he did fynd.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, K ij. One of these kistrell birds, called a wind-sucker.
1831. H. Neele, Romance Hist., I. 194. A bird of such a coystril breed.
