Photo: patrickkavanagh / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Nankeen Kestrel
Falco cenchroides
Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) — Birds of Prey of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) is a member of the Falconidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 170 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Falconiformes
- Family Falconidae Caracaras, Falcons
- Genus Falco
- Species cenchroides
Where it lives
West-central New Guinean mts., Australia and Tasmania, Lord Howe and Norfolk is. (east of Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 170 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Falconidae
- Order
- Falconiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Nankeen Kestrel is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Nankeen Kestrel is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) is a species of bird in the Falconidae family, part of the order Falconiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU wc New Guinean mts., Australia and Tasmania, Lord Howe and Norfolk is. (e of Australia).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 170 g, with a wing length of about 24.9 cm and a tail of around 16.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Nankeen Kestrel?
The Nankeen Kestrel is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 170 g.
Where does the Nankeen Kestrel live?
The Nankeen Kestrel is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU wc New Guinean mts., Australia and Tasmania, Lord Howe and Norfolk is. (e of Australia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Nankeen Kestrel belong to?
The Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) belongs to the Falconidae family, in the order Falconiformes.
What does the Nankeen Kestrel eat?
The Nankeen Kestrel is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Nankeen Kestrel migrate?
The Nankeen Kestrel is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Nankeen Kestrel endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Nankeen Kestrel make?
1 real field recording of the Nankeen Kestrel — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Nankeen Kestrel's range?
The Nankeen Kestrel has a mapped global range of about 7.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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