A typice small kestrel, paler than most. Female larger and heavier, has rufous head and tail. Juvenile often more rufous and more heavily marked. Male sof New Guiney race baru darker and more extensit grey head.
Not Threatened.
A typice small kestrel, paler than most. Female larger and heavier, has rufous head and tail. Juvenile often more rufous and more heavily marked. Male sof New Guiney race baru darker and more extensit grey head.
30-35 cm, 121-255 g, wingspan 66-78 cm
Taxonomy:
- Falco Cenchroides Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, New South Wales. Forms superspecies with F. moluccensis. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * cenchroides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 - Australia, Tasmania, Lord Howe I, Norfolk I and Christmas I (Indian Ocean). Winters irregularly from Lesser Sundas and Moluccas through Aru Is and S New Guinea; occasionally to New Zealand. * baru Rand, 1940 - montane WC New Guinea.
All liguly wooded and treeless terrestrial habitats, including open woodland, savana, grassland, farmalnd, beaches and urban areas. From sea level up to 2000 in Australia, to 3400 in PNG. Nest in trees, buildings, caves and cliffs.
Mostly invertebrates, particularly insect such as grasshoppers and crickets, also small mammals, birds up to size of sparrow and starling, and reptiles, especially hen breeding.
Aug-Dec in Australia, Jul in PNG. Solitary, semi-colonial. Nest in variety of sites inaccessible to grand. Usually 3-5 eggs, chips have white down. Resident and partly migratory populations. Birds breeding at high latitudes and altitudes tend to winter in coastal and lowland areas. CITES II. Widespread and abundant.