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Brown FalconAlternative names: "Brown Hawk", "Cackling Hawk" |
Sightings
Brown Falcons are a relatively common bird species throughout Australia. Once one knows what to look for, one can spot them quite regularly.
Specimens of the dark-morphology version of Brown Falcons were spotted by us in September/October of 2006, in different locations 20-30 km south-west of Narrabri, New South Wales. Once seen close enough to identify them correctly, Brown Falcons appear to be quite common in inland NSW.
Also spotted in July 2007 50 km south of Narrabri. A couple of dark morphology Brown Falcons was spotted in that same area in March 2009. They were being hustled by both a family of Australian Magpies and a pair of Black-shouldered Kites.
A bird in the light morphology was seen in the timeframe August to November 2008, 20 km east of Narrabri. When first spotted in early August, it had an impressive entourage of Australian Ravens keen on complimenting it out of their territory. The next day, however, it was still there, together with its partner, hunting in open grassland. One of its catches, a mouse, was devoured while sitting on a wooden fencepost.
An immature bird with light morphology was spotted by us by a roadside 50 km north of Hawker, SA, in March 2008. Another of the kind was seen in Byfield National Park, QLD, in July 2009.
Photos
Light morphology
Frontal view of a Brown Falcon (click on image for larger version)
The same bird as above, now with its head turned (click on image for larger version)
Brown Falcon shortly after takeoff (click on image for larger version)
Here the same bird as above, keeping an eye on a pursuing raven; note how, depending on light conditions, its plumage appears a lot darker than shown below (the same bird)
Brown Falcon hovering above its prey (click on image to see a slightly different posture)
Immature Brown Falcon (click on image for larger version)
Frontal view from beneath of a very pale immature Brown Falcon (click on image for larger version)
Photo of the same bird as above, at a less acute angle
Dark morphology
Near-frontal view of a Brown Falcon (click on image for larger version)
Frontal view of a Brown Falcon (click on image for larger version)
Lateral view of a Brown Falcon (click on image for larger version)
Rear view of a Brown Falcon on a fence
Brown Falcon in a dead treetop (click on image for larger version)
The same bird as in the photo above, seen at a slightly different angle (click on image for larger version)
If identified correctly, these two are Brown Falcons; the smaller bird is an adult, most likely male, whilte the larger one must be a juvenile, due to the difference in size probably female (click on image for larger version)
Closer view of the same juvenile bird as in the photo above (click on image for larger version)
Brown Falcon taking off from a dead treetop (click on image for larger version)