The Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) is featured this month in the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority’s 2026 Year of the Raptor community awareness campaign.
Nankeen Kestral. Photographer: Peter Poon
Raptors are carnivorous birds of prey that hunt and feed on live prey including rabbits, rodents, fish, lizards and other birds.
Goulburn Broken CMA project officer, Janice Mentiplay-Smith, said the Nankeen Kestrel was a raptor native to Australia and New Guinea.
“This little raptor is about the size of a pigeon, making it one of the world’s smallest kestrels,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said.
It doesn’t rely on speed to hunt down its prey, instead it perches on a tall vantage point like a dead tree so it can swoop down on its prey.
“Alternatively, it hovers above crops or grasslands and simply waits.”
Ms Mentiplay-Smith said dead trees were very important natural features that provided lookouts for raptors including the Nankeen Kestrel.
“We need to value trees both dead and alive because without them, Nankeen Kestrels can’t remain in the landscape,” she said.
The Nankeen Kestrel’s fan-shaped tail acts as a rudder to help it hover in mid-air. Once it spots its quarry, it will drop and pounce. It’s one of a select group of raptors that hunts by suspension, not speed. The only other Australasian raptors to hover are the kites and brown falcon, which are much larger and more heavily built, meaning it hovers with difficulty.
“This little falcon is versatile,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said.
“It nests in tree hollows, caves, ledges on the outside of buildings and occasionally on the ground. Their nest can be anything from a simple scrape in the dirt or tree hollow, to a stick or mud nest that has been abandoned by another bird.
“Nankeen Kestrel pairs usually stay together over successive breeding seasons and will often raise just one brood each year. The female keeps the eggs warm while the male hunts for food.
If resources are plentiful, such as a locust outbreak, the Nankeen Kestrel will occasionally cache its food and return to it later in the day.”
Bird watching is an enjoyable way to see the Goulburn Broken catchment's beautiful birdlife, including its amazing raptors. Local birding group Murray Goulburn BirdLife meet monthly to conduct outings and enjoy the local environment. The next outings are scheduled for Wednesday 6 May at Winton Wetlands for a bird survey and Saturday 16 May at the Euroa Arboretum. For more information contact robertsdon680@gmail.com.
Nankeen Kestral. Photographer: Leigh Teitz
Nankeen Kestral. Photographer: Jenny Younger.
Learning more about a species and its requirements is a positive first step in helping it and the environment it relies on. BirdLife Australia’s Raptor Group promotes the conservation, management and study of Australia's birds of prey and fosters communication and cooperation among raptor enthusiasts across Australasia. For more information visit https://ausraptorgroup.org
The Year of the Raptor is supported by the Victorian Government through the Our Catchments Our Communities stewardship program.