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gemfyreThis will be the first installment of raptors, I plan to have two more. Two of the birds here are very common around Perth, the other two are not as abundant, but still quite visible if you know where they are. Being raptors they require large territories to hunt so you usually won't see more than one or two birds at a time. The falcons are identified by their sleek shape, speedy flight and, if you can get close enough to see it, a notch on the beak called the "tomial tooth".
Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
Photo by CurtMorgan of BirdForum.
The Peregrine Falcon is found the world over (one of the photos I'm using here was taken in New York) and has the honour of being the fastest animal on earth. Some records say that in a stoop this bird can reach around 400km per hour! Then it rapidly comes to a stop as it hits an unfortunate pigeon. A human being pulling that many Gs would be suffering serious internal injuries. Peregrines naturally nest on cliffsides where they hunt wild pigeons and other birds, but they are equally happy nesting on ledges of high-rise buildings feeding on feral pigeons. A pair nests on the Westpac building in Perth city.
Photo by mali of BirdForum.
Peregrines are large falcons identified by their -
- slate blue backs.
- pale, horizontally striped undersides. To make things a bit trickier, birds in the south-west often have a russet wash over their bellies.
- dark hood covering most of the head.
- yellow eye ring, cere (the skin above the beak) and feet.
Australian Hobby - Falco longipennis
Photo by Nora of BirdForum.
The Australian Hobby is smaller than the Peregrine and probably a little more common. I see them often on the ring road around Herdsman Lake and at Perry Lakes. They are not quite as ambitious as Peregrines and prefer to hunt large insects like dragonflies. They do look quite similar to Peregrine falcons however. Here are some things to look out for -
- Vertically striped belly with a red-brown wash. Juvenilles are even darker reddish-brown.
- A dark hood that only covers part of the hood and forms the classic falcon 'teardrop' shape.
Nankeen Kestrel - Falco cenchroides
Photo by stoop of BirdForum.
Nankeen Kestrels are very common around Perth. Today along a short stretch of beach I saw 3 to 5 birds. They prefer to hunt on roadsides in grass, over fields, or in the vegetation on sand dunes. So next time you're heading down a highway keep an eye out. What are you looking for?
- A small falcon that hovers often. When a kestrel hovers their bodies stay horizontal to the ground and they flap their wings in small, fast beats into the wind. If you watch them long enough you'll probably see it dive for a lizard or a mouse.
- Pale underside.
- A single black stripe at the tip of the tail.
- Russet-orange back with black wingtips.
- The falcon "teardrop" on the face.
Photo by AUST2000 of BirdForum.
This falcon is very obligingly showing off the orange colouration on the back. The name Nankeen comes from a dye of the same shade.
Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus axillaris
Photo by boydmace of BirdForum.
I think Black-shouldered Kites (or BSKs as I tend to call them) are about as common as Kestrels around Perth and you will see them in the same areas. One often perches in a dead tree near the corner of Morley Drive and Tonkin Highway. BSKs are also hoverers, but they haven't mastered the art quite as well as Kestrels. Hovering kites let their legs dangle down and their bodies are at more of an angle to the ground. Their wingbeats are also slower and more laboured. BSKs aren't hard to mistake for anything else. In Australia the only bird you could mix it up with is the Letter-winged Kite, and you're very lucky if you see one of those, especially in Perth!
- Black and white bird (with some soft grey). The black shoulder is prominent when the bird is perched.
- Red eye.
Photo by Tony Brown of BirdForum.
For those that are wondering, the bird in my icon is a White-bellied Sea-eagle, which won't be featured in this series as it isn't very common around Perth.
Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
Photo by CurtMorgan of BirdForum.
The Peregrine Falcon is found the world over (one of the photos I'm using here was taken in New York) and has the honour of being the fastest animal on earth. Some records say that in a stoop this bird can reach around 400km per hour! Then it rapidly comes to a stop as it hits an unfortunate pigeon. A human being pulling that many Gs would be suffering serious internal injuries. Peregrines naturally nest on cliffsides where they hunt wild pigeons and other birds, but they are equally happy nesting on ledges of high-rise buildings feeding on feral pigeons. A pair nests on the Westpac building in Perth city.
Photo by mali of BirdForum.
Peregrines are large falcons identified by their -
- slate blue backs.
- pale, horizontally striped undersides. To make things a bit trickier, birds in the south-west often have a russet wash over their bellies.
- dark hood covering most of the head.
- yellow eye ring, cere (the skin above the beak) and feet.
Australian Hobby - Falco longipennis
Photo by Nora of BirdForum.
The Australian Hobby is smaller than the Peregrine and probably a little more common. I see them often on the ring road around Herdsman Lake and at Perry Lakes. They are not quite as ambitious as Peregrines and prefer to hunt large insects like dragonflies. They do look quite similar to Peregrine falcons however. Here are some things to look out for -
- Vertically striped belly with a red-brown wash. Juvenilles are even darker reddish-brown.
- A dark hood that only covers part of the hood and forms the classic falcon 'teardrop' shape.
Nankeen Kestrel - Falco cenchroides
Photo by stoop of BirdForum.
Nankeen Kestrels are very common around Perth. Today along a short stretch of beach I saw 3 to 5 birds. They prefer to hunt on roadsides in grass, over fields, or in the vegetation on sand dunes. So next time you're heading down a highway keep an eye out. What are you looking for?
- A small falcon that hovers often. When a kestrel hovers their bodies stay horizontal to the ground and they flap their wings in small, fast beats into the wind. If you watch them long enough you'll probably see it dive for a lizard or a mouse.
- Pale underside.
- A single black stripe at the tip of the tail.
- Russet-orange back with black wingtips.
- The falcon "teardrop" on the face.
Photo by AUST2000 of BirdForum.
This falcon is very obligingly showing off the orange colouration on the back. The name Nankeen comes from a dye of the same shade.
Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus axillaris
Photo by boydmace of BirdForum.
I think Black-shouldered Kites (or BSKs as I tend to call them) are about as common as Kestrels around Perth and you will see them in the same areas. One often perches in a dead tree near the corner of Morley Drive and Tonkin Highway. BSKs are also hoverers, but they haven't mastered the art quite as well as Kestrels. Hovering kites let their legs dangle down and their bodies are at more of an angle to the ground. Their wingbeats are also slower and more laboured. BSKs aren't hard to mistake for anything else. In Australia the only bird you could mix it up with is the Letter-winged Kite, and you're very lucky if you see one of those, especially in Perth!
- Black and white bird (with some soft grey). The black shoulder is prominent when the bird is perched.
- Red eye.
Photo by Tony Brown of BirdForum.
For those that are wondering, the bird in my icon is a White-bellied Sea-eagle, which won't be featured in this series as it isn't very common around Perth.
