Thread: falcon having a go

They are not so cool when they attack you from behind and try to lift your scalp off! I was above Karamea gold panning about 1K from a marked nesting area. A totally silent attack. I have a photo somewhere of me bleeding profusely.

Mate an me were hunting the Rangitikei river faces some years ago. Could hear a couple of falcon hunting in a gut below. They then came up to our height and parked up on some rocks about 20m away. They must have been discussing strategy, as the big one then flew over right in front of us and started jumping all over a small shrub out on a rock outcrop, screaching as it did so. Two small birds made a run for it and the the smaller falcon sitting back bursts into action and hammers one of them. Pretty cool to see it all unfold right in front of our noses.

Originally Posted by XR500

Mate an me were hunting the Rangitikei river faces some years ago. Could hear a couple of falcon hunting in a gut below. They then came up to our height and parked up on some rocks about 20m away. They must have been discussing strategy, as the big one then flew over right in front of us and started jumping all over a small shrub out on a rock outcrop, screaching as it did so. Two small birds made a run for it and the the smaller falcon sitting back bursts into action and hammers one of them. Pretty cool to see it all unfold right in front of our noses.

An interesting point as the only raptors that are documented as working together are the South American Harris Hawks. They hunt in packs.

I suspect the scenario as described was a youngster being taught to hunt

That's exactly what it looked like to us.

The Harrier Hawks are pairing up at present here, wheeling higher and higher calling as they go until nearly out of sight. There are always a few young Falcons hunting over the Canterbury plains in autumn, not many but they do come down from the hills. They dont establish though as people shoot them for attacking poultry. There is or was a population at Bottle Lake plantation along the beach from New Brighton. I have seen Falcons on Marshland road coming into ChCh and near the Palms shopping mall. Both would have come from Bottle Lake

They're an interesting bird, when my son's dove got hammered I stepped off the verandah to where it was lying, the falcon had disappeared. Picking it up I was startled by a movement just a few feet away, and bugger me dead - there was the falcon (young male) three feet away totally blending into the background.
"He wants that dove, I think I'll let him have it."
"What are you thinking, that's your sons pet."
"It's dead."

And when I plucked the female off the cage wires it was still snapping at the budgies and seemed completely oblivious to the fact it was being manhandled - then it relaxed and studied me until I got it in the box. It did the same when the crew from Wingspan arrived and took her out for a nosey, she seemed quite unconcerned.

We've had a few here as we have outside aviaries and the sparrows gather in the akeake trees waiting for the birds to be fed, the missus throws yesterdays husks on the ground - and they swoop in. At the end of the akeake trees is a bushy pittosporum hedge and I was sitting watching the midday news when that hedge shimmered all along its length as the sparrows hit it and disappeared.
I'd never seen that before and immediately thought 'falcon' - and sure enough there was one sitting on the garage roof looking at the doves, and she swooped. It didn't take her long to realise there was no free lunch there and she disappeared - but it was those sparrows hitting the hedge that I remember, they didn't muck around.

Originally Posted by gundoc

They are not so cool when they attack you from behind and try to lift your scalp off! I was above Karamea gold panning about 1K from a marked nesting area. A totally silent attack. I have a photo somewhere of me bleeding profusely.

Used to be a bloke on the Hunting and Fishing forum (Raptor) who did 'falcon nest counting' on cut over forestry blocks who was constantly getting whacked on the head. I asked him why he didn't wear a helmet and he told me a helmet being a hard surface would damage falcon 'grappling equipment' - and that was a death sentence for the bird.

Theres some falcon interesting reading here

Yeah - I had to look up 'Pengy's' Russian Steppe Eagle, a new one to me. They're a big bird and remind me of a photo I saw of a 'hunted' Harrier chasing down a pukeko. That bird had some 'curry' on and was right up the pukeko's arse and you didn't have to see the 'finale' to imagine the result. That photo was a surprise to me I'd seen one fly into a tree and fall in a tangle onto the ground after we scared it off a roadkill while driving into town. We turned a ninety degree bend and ended up driving parallel and the hawk was watching us rather than where it was going. My daughter had jumped the fence and got to the hawk, then hesitated as it gathered itself and took off.
"You just stood there."
"It was a big bird dad."

My other experience was working on my boat as it was parked up in the rushes on Lake Tarawera. I heard a 'bang' as something clouted my boat and looked up to see a pukeko grappling with a harrier arc over the bow entwined, the pook upside-down and driving the hawk forward with outstretched legs. By the time I got my head over the side the pook was going back to where he came from leaving the harrier spread out in the bullrushes. That bird slowly got himself together, then took off to survey the surroundings as though nothing had happened.
I can only assume the hawk had a go at a pukeko chick and the mum had objected ............

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

well you guys there is another raptor not native recorded in NZ and thats the Nankeen Kestrel - any body seen one - I think I did one day on side of road far north but did not have a camera - was smaller bird than harrier and rather different colour - be interested if any of you know this bird - always keen on different birds - same as bob white quail supposedly Hawkes bay but are any still around

I've actually got some pics of one. A light brown n speckled white.

There's a breeding pair at Hasting Golf Course. They nest on the ground and are currently under a pine just off the 9th fairway. From now till the end of summer don't go right on the ninth. They were on the 5th last season and they are the angriest birds I've ever see. Anything within 25m of their patch and they'll swoop and clip you with their talons.
There was a strong population of quail on the course who's numbers have been thinned and the ducklings have gone from 9 to 6 to last weekend 3 from a brood last seen near the 4th.
Manawatu GC has had a pair for some time too which I understand are just as ferocious.
They're still cool to have, just beware of them when they're breeding.

I have had many run ins with these fellas over the yrs while up in the high country. Sparrow hawks can sure get stroppy at times during nesting and can appear outa nowhere and scare the crap outa yi if your not awake lol.
I'd be interested to know if any of you other outdoor types have actually witnessed a falcon diving down and catching a trout..or any other fish for that matter..actually wacking into water?
I've only ever seen it once myself.