From Opus

Alternative name: Nankeen Kestrel

Male Australian Kestrel
Photo by Neil
Sydney, Australia

Falco cenchroides

Identification

31cm (Male) to 35 cm (female). Male has grey head and tail, female pale rufous head and paler rufous tail. Rufous or brown above, white or off-white below, black tail tip. Female has blackspot in each feather.

Distribution

Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands.

Taxonomy

There are 2 subspecies;

• F c cenchroides
• F c baru

Habitat

Temperate grasslands and open woodlands, coastal cliffs and dunes, towns and cities. Often seen on telegraph poles or dead trees. Possibly the most widely recorded bird in Australia

Behaviour

The diet includes insects, small birds and reptiles and mice.

They nest in a tree hollow, cliff ledge or disused corvid's nest; 3-7 eggs are laid and are incubated by the female alone for 26 to 28 days. The male brings food.

References

Wikipedia

The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds

External Links