The Brown Falcon is uniformly brown above with dark facial marks; under parts are whitish with dark streaks or blotched brown and white, or wholly dark brown. Under wings are pale and barred. Their legs are long and grey, feet grey, feathers forming 'trousers' around top of legs. Eyes are dark brown; the bill is blue-grey with black tip, skin around the eye is usually grey-white. Females are larger but coloured similarly to males which are 45 centimetres long with wingspan 89 to 109 centimetres, females are 50 centimetres long) First year juveniles usually have darker under parts with a buff face and broad buff collar. Facial marking comprising broad, dark vertical bands directly below the eye and from behind the eye then curving downward are characteristic of this widespread and variable coloured species. They rarely chase prey in flight and feed mostly on the ground, hunting reptiles, grasshoppers, beetles, mice and carrion. Able to run and leap at agile small prey such as mice, lizards, snakes (up to a metre long) and small ground birds. They will take small birds by surprise while gliding low across scrub or grassland. Wing-beat and flight are slow; usually sitting quietly on a high perch such as a dead tree branch, telephone pole or fence post while watching the ground ready to drop on to prey. Flight is slow and heavy, gliding on raised wings; hovers clumsily. Wing tips are blunt and flexible, the tail is rounded. Usually alone or in pairs, it is one of the most widespread Australian raptors. The Brown Falcon usually takes over an abandoned nest built by another hawk species; occasionally builds its own nest of sticks lined with finer material and green leaves. Two to five, usually three, eggs; pale buff with many red-brown spots and blotches. Incubated by both parents for about 33 days although the female does most of the nest work while the male hunts. When he brings food back to the nest she meets him nearby where she eats the food or takes it back to the nest to feed the young. The young fledge in 36 to 45 days, they become independent within days of fledging and leave their parents a few weeks later and disperse widely. Males are three years old at first breeding, females are two years old. (Source: Bush Heritage, 2019), (Image: Co Sch).

Often seen dashing past, either low to the ground or just above the treetops, the Australian Hobby is often seen hunting in vegetated urban areas, as well as in almost any lightly timbered country. Their flight varies from swift and direct with flickering wing-beats to gliding and soaring, and they regularly catch their food—small birds and insects—in the air. They sometimes eat it on the wing too, or land on a high perch where it can be torn apart. Their call is a shrill chatter. A medium-sized falcon, the Australian Hobby has long, narrow, pointed, scythe-shaped wings and a long, square-cut tail. It has a generally dark head with a light half-collar that does not extend all the way across the back of its neck. The upperparts are blackish grey, with darker barring on the tail, which also has a fine white tip. The underparts are rufous brown with darker streaks, while the underwing is rufous-brown with buff-coloured spots. The bill is blue-grey near the base and blackish at the tip; the cere (at the very base of the bill) is pale yellow, as are the legs and feet. Young birds generally have darker plumage. Always using the stick nests of other species—especially crows and ravens, Whistling Kites and Australian Magpies—Australian Hobbies use the nests as they find them, and seldom, if ever, add nesting material to a nest to repair it or reline its interior. (Source: Birdlife Australia, n.d.), (Image: Con Duyvestyn).

Peregrines swoop onto their prey at speeds of up to 300 km/h, which has inherent dangers, as they occasionally collide with overhead wires, usually fatal at such speeds. Peregrine Falcons are large, powerfully built raptors (birds of prey), with a black hood, blue-black upperparts and creamy white chin, throat and underparts, which are finely barred from the breast to the tail. The long tapered wings have a straight trailing edge in flight and the tail is relatively short. The eye-ring is yellow, with the heavy bill also yellow, tipped black. Although widespread throughout the world, it is not a common species. The Peregrine Falcon is found in most habitats, from rainforests to the arid zone, and at most altitudes, from the coast to alpine areas. It requires abundant prey and secure nest sites, and prefers coastal and inland cliffs or open woodlands near water, and may even be found nesting on high city buildings. The Peregrine Falcon feeds on small and medium-sized birds, as well as rabbits and other day-active mammals. It swoops down on its prey from above, catching or stunning it with its powerfully hooked talons, before grasping and carrying it off to a perch to pluck and eat it. It will pursue flying birds, being able to fly at speeds of up to 300 km/h, and it soars to a great height in search of prey. Pairs may hunt co-operatively, with one member, usually the male, scattering a flock of birds while the other swoops down to attack a particular individual. This co-operative behaviour is most often observed during the breeding season. The Peregrine Falcon mates for life and pairs maintain a home range of about 20 km to 30 km square throughout the year. Rather than building a nest, it lays its eggs in recesses of cliff faces, tree hollows or in the large abandoned nests of other birds. (Source: Birdlife Australia, n.d.), (Image: Don Caswell).

The Australian (or Nankeen*) Kestrel is Australia's smallest falcon and one of our most frequently sighted raptors. It is often seen hovering over road reserves and fields, watching for small terrestrial mammals, insects and reptiles. Once they have their prey in sight, they plunge head first toward the ground, pulling out of their dive at the last moment to strike with their feet. Kestrels have specially adapted eyes which enable them to see ultra violet light. This ability allows them to see scent and urine trails which are invisible to humans, and gives them the advantage when hunting to know where to expect to find their prey. Adult male kestrels are identifiable by their grey heads and tails, while adult females have a brown head and rufous tail. The female birds are generally larger than the males. Like all falcons, Kestrels have large eyes, a short notched bill, powerful feet and are extremely quick and agile. (Source: Society for the Preservation of Raptors, n.d.), (Image: Don Caswell).