Birds of Prey
RaptorsAustralian Boobook Owl Australian Hobby Barn Owl Black-breasted Buzzard Black Falcon Black Kite Black-shouldered Kite Brown Falcon Brown Goshawk Nankeen Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Spotted Harrier Wedge-tailed Eagle Whistling Kite
The Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) is widespread across Australia, occurring in open country, including grasslands and farmland. They are also seen in the semi arid region of Central Australia.
A small, slim falcon, the upper parts are pale rufous with some dark streaking. The underparts are a pale buff, streaked with black, with the under tail that is finely barred with black, with a broader black band towards the tip. The cere (a waxy fleshy covering at the base of the upper beak), eye-ring, and legs are yellow. The male has a pale grey crown and tail with a darker grey tear-mark, while the female and juvenile have a pale rufous crown and finely barred rufous tail.
Females are usually more heavily marked, with more rufous colour on the crown and tail. Males have a greyish crown and tail, although the extent varies between individuals. Females are larger than males. Young Nankeen Kestrels closely resemble the adult female, with heavier markings.
They hunt a variety of prey, including small mammals (especially mice), small birds, lizards and insects. Small items may be eaten while flying, but larger prey is taken back to a perch. Kestrels are often attracted to plagues of mice, capturing their prey on the ground by dropping onto them.
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.
Common name
Australian Kestrel, Nankeen Kestrel.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Informal: Gnathostomata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Falconiformes
- Family: Falconidae
- Subfamily: Falconinae
- Genus: Falco
- Subgenus: infrageneric Tinnunculus
- Species: Falco cenchroides
Footnote & References
- Nankeen Kestrel, Falco cenchroides, Birdlife Australia, https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/nankeen-kestrel
- Falco (Tinnunculus) cenchroides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:a1f58df1-828a-4932-a022-fe68c106d5dc
RaptorsAustralian Boobook Owl Australian Hobby Barn Owl Black-breasted Buzzard Black Falcon Black Kite Black-shouldered Kite Brown Falcon Brown Goshawk Nankeen Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Spotted Harrier Wedge-tailed Eagle Whistling Kite