Brown falcon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brown falcon |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| At Ingham, Queensland, Australia | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Falco
|
| Species: |
berigora
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Asturaetus furcillatus De Vis, 1906 |
|
The brown falcon (Falco berigora) is a type of falcon that lives in Australia and New Guinea. It's a fairly large bird of prey.
Brown falcons can look different. Some are mostly light in color, while others are dark. Both types usually have dark brown feathers on their upper bodies and wings. Dark falcons have dark feathers underneath, but might have some lighter streaks. Light falcons have white feathers underneath, sometimes with brown streaks. They might also have very white feathers under their tail, which helps tell them apart.
The name berigora comes from an Aboriginal language.
Contents
What Does a Brown Falcon Look Like?
Adult brown falcons are usually about 40 to 50 centimeters (16 to 20 inches) long. They come in light, dark, and in-between colors. Their heads are often reddish-brown with thin black stripes. They have a light crown and an off-white chin. Their wings are reddish-brown with spots and dark brown flight feathers.
Their Beaks are light blue-grey, and their eyes are brown. These falcons make a loud cackling sound quite often.
Where Do Brown Falcons Live and How Do They Breed?
Brown falcons usually breed from June to November. They often use old nests built by larger birds like other hawks. Sometimes, they even nest inside hollow tree branches.
A female brown falcon lays between two and five eggs. These eggs have red and brown spots or blotches on them.
Types of Brown Falcons
There are two main types, or subspecies, of brown falcons:
- F. b. novaeguineae : Found in central and eastern New Guinea and along the coast of northern Australia.
- F. b. berigora : Found across most of Australia (except the northern coast) and in Tasmania.
What Do Brown Falcons Eat?
Brown falcons eat many different things. They hunt small mammals like house mice. In the summer, they also eat young rabbits.
They also catch small birds, lizards, and snakes. Many different insects are part of their diet too. These include caterpillars, grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles. During winter, insects make up most of their food. The falcons often chase these insects on the ground.
Gallery
-
John Gould illustration
-
Brown falcon portrait
-
Brown falcon
-
In flight in Victoria, Australia
-
Adult, pale morph, Tasmania
-
Adult (pale morph) takes flight, Tasmania
.jpg)
Images for kids
-
Brown Falcon perched on thistles near Lake Borrie, Vic.
See also
In Spanish: Halcón berigora para niños
