despite its outward similarity, this species appears not to be closely related to the common kestrel. in fact, mtdna cytochrome "b" sequence analysis places it at a basal position with regards to the other "true" kestrels (i.e., excluding the american kestrel and probably the grey african kestrels too). its divergence is tentatively placed to around the miocene-pliocene boundary (messinian to zanclean, or about 7–3.5 mya). the morphological similarity with the common kestrel is most puzzling, but still it appears to betray the present species' actual relationships: the lack of a malar stripe seems ancestral for kestrels, and the grey wing colour unites the lesser kestrel with most other "falco" species, but not the other true kestrels.