The Aussie Bird Count is underway in the week of 20 to 26 October 2025. In 2024, over 57,000 participants counted a staggering 4.1million birds! More information is available at https://birdlife.org.au/events/aussie-bird-count-2025/
A new bird I have identified in my garden for the first time this October is a Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides). It has formed a nest of broken twigs with a demanding brood high in the Spotted Gums (E. citriodora). I think it has occupied a nest used in previous years by magpies (and usually raided by the Channel Billed Cuckoos). We have many large gum trees surrounded by open farmland which is favoured habitat to allow hunting of small prey.
According to Birdlife Australia:
The Nankeen Kestrel is a slender falcon and is a relatively small raptor (bird of prey). The upper parts are mostly rufous, with some dark streaking.
The birds give excited, shrill chatter keekeekeek and upslurred chittering. Their display call is a two-note sharp killy-killy (which is quite loud and persistent!).
Pairs of Nankeen Kestrels usually stay together over successive breeding seasons, and will often use the same nest site or territory year after year. Usually, only one brood of young is raised in a year. The female does the bulk of the incubation, while the male supplies the food.
The Bird Life Australia website is a great resource including audio recordings – see https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/nankeen-kestrel/#
Hopefully I’ll have this pair nest again next year!
Shaun Walsh
