It is usually a colonial breeder, often in the vicinity of human settlements. It forages in steppe-like habitats, natural and managed grasslands, and non-intensive cultivation. It is mainly migratory, with most breeders overwintering in sub-Saharan Africa, although some travel to parts of north-west Africa, southern Europe and southern Asia. Migrants leave their breeding grounds in September and return between February and April (Orta and Kirwan 2020). It migrates in flocks of varying sizes, usually tens to low hundreds, often with other falcons such as Falco tinnunculus, F. vespertinus and F. amurensis (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). Large numbers, sometimes up to thousands, gather at roosts on migration (Orta and Kirwan 2020). They cross water bodies readily on a broad front, flying high enough to be barely detectable; they fly lower over land (often c.20–30 m), particularly on northward migration (Brown et al. 1982, Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). It breeds colonially and egg-laying occurs mainly in May, nesting mainly in human constructions, such as large old buildings, houses, walls and ruins, in towns or on the outskirts but also uses natural sites, for example rock faces, clay banks and quarries, and occasionally old corvid nests. The nest is placed in a hollow or below eaves, and it has also taken readily to artificial nesting boxes in some areas. Clutches are normally three to six eggs. It feeds mostly on aerial and terrestrial insects. It is a trans-Saharan migrant although some birds winter in southern Europe and northern Africa (Orta and Kirwan 2020).

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II, CMS Appendix I and II. Research and management of the species, its sites and habitats have been carried out in France, Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Israel, Jordan and South Africa. A European action plan has been published.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Encourage surveys and monitoring. Research limiting factors and habitat management. Promote national action plans. Promote appropriate agricultural policies, control of pesticides and zoned forestry. Construct artificial nests. Protect colonies. Encourage legal protection. Attempts should also be made to control illegal capture, and trade of the species.