Nankeen Kestrel

It's Wednesday again and time for another Australian Bird.  This time it is the Nankeen Kestrel.  When I was returning from visiting Barra Fish Farm and on my way to my daughters home where I was staying, I saw something on a roof a long way off and so I had to investigate.  The road I took I knew lead into a farm and as I drew closer, I realised it was a Kestrel on the roof.  I parked the car and carefully got out with bins and telescope.  To my amazement, there were 4  Kestrels.

At first I stayed by the car but very slowly I made my way towards the birds and they didn't seem to be bothered.  I will tell you a little about the Kestrel throughout the photographs I took that day.

The Australian Kestrel or Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) is one of the smallest falcons, and unlike many, does not rely on speed to catch its prey. Instead, it simply perches in an exposed position, but it also has a distinctive technique of hovering over crop and grasslands. This bird is thought to be a very close relative of the Common Kestrel,

A small, slim falcon 12 to 14 inches long, the Nankeen Kestrel is rufous or brown above and white or off-white below, with a black tail tip. Plumage varies considerably in detail, and some birds can look very scruffy, but the slim build, small size and distinctive straight-winged hovering habit make identification easy. It can be seen in Western Australia on coastal cliffs and windy conditions. Also seen on phone lines and power lines.

Diet is varied, with a large number of insects, but also small birds and reptiles, and in particular, small rodents, mostly mice.  Nankeen Kestrels are adaptable and hunt in a number of different ways: of these, simply perching in an exposed position (such as on a dead tree or a telephone pole) and watching for prey is the most common, but it is their habit of hovering motionless over crop and grasslands that is most distinctive.

Breeding

Jul.–Nov. in N, Aug.–Jan. in S. Uses old nest of another raptor or corvid; picks one in highest part of tall tree on thin branches just below the canopy.  Clutch 2–4. 

Incubation by female, except briefly by male after food delivery while female feeds nearby. Male does all hunting during incubation and for first 7–10 days after hatching. Young hatch in faintly pinkish white down; pale grey by 8 days; pale salmon-brown by 14 days; leave nest at 35–38 days .

 Compared with other falcons, flight is lighter, wandering, with erratic changes in direction, often stopping to hover, glide; wing beats are rapid and less powerful.  Hovers skilfully into wind with quick, shallow wing beats, or hangs with wings flexed, uplifted; drops suddenly to take prey in ground cover.

Usually silent, but quite noisy in early breeding season.  The sharp, high, almost metallic ‘ki-ki-ki’ has many variations, territorial defence, displays, fighting, approaching nest with food: ranges from fast, shrill, chattered ‘kikikik-’ to slower ‘kee-kee-kee,’ and very slow, metallic, tapping ‘kik, kik, kik’.  Also has a drawn out, screaming, rising ‘keeeiir, keeiir’ at food exchange and copulation.

Open habitats: woods, grassland, sparse scrub, heath, farms, roadsides and coastal dunes. Common, mainland Australia; non breeding visitor to Tasmania.

 I hope your enjoyed this Australian bird, the Nankeen Kestrel today.  If you wish to see any other posts with Australian birds, go into LABELS on the right hand column and click Australian birds (I spelt it wrong under labels!)

Many thanks for visiting today.  

Tomorrow I will continue with the birding I did with Eileen last week and if you need a bit of a laugh, look at my post tomorrow!

I am linking this post with Wild Bird Wednesday