![]() ![]() Electrocution is a major problem in areas where many un-insulated power lines occur. Pigs and possums take eggs and chicks, and hedgehogs may do so in some areas. Cats and mustelids have been filmed preying on adults and chicks. ![]() Habitat degradation and modification has also affected prey populations. Widespread but rare population estimated in the 1970s at c.4000 pairs.Ĭlearance of native vegetation and the intensification of land-use practices have significantly reduced the amount of habitat suitable for breeding. Several pairs breed in the Wellington townbelt and have foraging territories that include the central city. ![]() Although absent as breeders from most urban and intensive agricultural landscapes, juveniles can be observed almost anywhere in New Zealand during winter as they disperse from their natal territories. Falcons have recently been encouraged to breed in vineyards in the Marlborough region. They may also breed in more intensively farmed areas where suitable bush remnants remain. Falcons breed in a wide variety of habitats from the coast to above the tree line, including native podocarp and beech forest, tussocklands, roughly grazed hill country and pine forest. Although rare on Stewart Island, populations extend as far south as the Auckland Islands. Sparse breeder north of a line between northern Taranaki and Rotorua. Widely distributed on both main islands where suitable habitat occurs. The black falcon is more uniformly sooty black and has far longer more pointed wings that when folded almost reach the end of the tail. The nankeen kestrel is more delicate, has a cinnamon brown back, long slender wings and a habit of hovering which our falcon does not. The black kite is larger (roughly the size of a harrier) and has a distinctive forked tail. The falcon could also be confused with vagrant raptors that occasionally arrive in New Zealand from Australia. Easily distinguished by the difference in calls: the cuckoo almost always uttering its harsh chatter ‘rrrp pe-pe-pe-pe-pee’ when flying. However falcons have a deeper wing, their tail is not quite as pronounced and their flight is less erratic. Long-tailed cuckoo also have long pointed wings, a long tail and rapid wing beats. The falcon lacks the obvious cream/pale rump of the harrier and glides with its wings set flat rather than in a shallow V-shape. ![]() Falcons are more often seen in active chasing flights rather than the lazy quartering flights typical of the harrier. Similar species: Sometimes confused with the swamp harrier that is commonly seen feeding on road-kill, the falcon very rarely feeds on carrion, and is smaller. Adult females and juveniles will also ‘whine’ for food and a ‘chitter’ is often uttered during interactions between falcons. The female’s call is deeper than the male’s more high pitched call. Voice: A loud ‘kek kek kek’ is commonly uttered in defence of a territory by both adults during the breeding season. Recent fledglings and juveniles are more uniformly dark brown, lacking the defined cream streaks on the breast, and their legs, eye-ring and cere are blue-grey. Adults have yellow legs, eye-ring and cere, are largely dark brown on the back, have a streaked cream breast and a rufous under tail and thighs. All ages have a dark eye and a distinct moustache or malar stripe running from the back of a strongly hooked bill vertically down the face. Males are approximately a third smaller than females. When perched they have an upside-down teardrop shaped silhouette. Wings and tail open out into a more rounded shape when soaring. Often seen hunting small passerines in dramatic chases, they have long pointed wings and a long tail. Where they nest on the ground they are well known for attacking intruders, including humans, with aggressive dive-bombing strikes to the head. Laying their eggs in simple scrapes they can nest in a variety of locations, from within the epiphytes that grow in large trees, to on the ground under small rocky outcrops. More recently they have been discovered breeding in exotic pine plantations. Adapted to hunt within the dense New Zealand forests they are also found in more open habitats such as tussocklands and roughly grazed hill country. The New Zealand falcon is a magpie-sized raptor that feeds predominantly on live prey. ![]()
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