the lesser kestrel eats insects, but also small birds, reptiles and rodents (especially mice), which are often taken on the ground. it nests colonially on buildings, cliffs, or in tree holes, laying up to 3–6 eggs. no nest structure is built, which is typical for falcons. on their wintering grounds in west africa, lesser kestrels favor a "latitude belt" through senegal where locusts and grasshoppers are plentiful. surveys of lesser kestrels wintering in january 2007 by the revealed them roosting communally. a roost in senegal discovered during one of the surveys held 28,600 birds, together with 16,000 scissor-tailed kites "chelictinia riocourii".