Etymology Dictionary

KESTREL,  a base kind of hawk.  (F.,—L.)   In Spenser, F. Q. ii. 3. 4; spelt castrel, Beaum. and Fletcher, Pilgrim, i. 1; kastril, Ben Jonson, Episœne, iv. 4; see Nares.   The t is excrescent (as after s in whils-t, amongs-t); it stands for kes’rel, short for kers’rel.—O.F. quercerelle, 'a kastrell,' Cot.   Put for quercelelle*, the regular dimin. of quercelle, 'a kastrell,' Cot.—Lat. querquedula, a kind of teal; see Diez and Scheler.   From the imitative ✔KARK, to make a loud noise; cf. croak, creak, chirk, &c.   β. See also, in Cotgrave, the forms cercelle, a teal; cercerelle, a kestrel, teal; crecerelle, a kestrel; mod. F. crécerelle.   The form cercelle is mod. F. sarcelle; see Littré, under crécelle, crécerelle, sarcelle; Diez, under cerceta, the Spanish form.   The Ital. tristarello, a kestrel (Florio), stands for cristarello*; cf. Burgundian cristel, a kestrel, a form cited by Wedgwood.   (See my letter to The Academy, Oct. 7, 1882, p. 262.)