Publication

Assessment of band recoveries for four Australian falcon species


Available band recoveries from 1958 to 2015 were analysed for the Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides (n = 97, recovery rate 3%), Brown Falcon F. berigora (n = 78, recovery rate 6%), Australian Hobby F. longipennis (n = 13, recovery rate 11%) and Peregrine Falcon F. peregrinus (n = 97, recovery rate 8%). Nankeen Kestrels banded as adults (including age 1+) were recovered up to 732 km (mean 42 km) from the banding site and up to 7 years (mean 1.6 y) after banding; those banded as pulli/juveniles were recovered up to 822 km (mean 63 km) away and up to 5 years (mean 0.8 y) later. Adult Brown Falcons were recovered up to 409 km (mean 27 km) away and up to 11.7 years (mean 2.4 y) later and juveniles up to 2,047 km (mean 68 km) away and up to 18 years (mean 3.1 y) later. Hobbies were recovered up to 322 km (mean 45 km) from the banding site and up to 6.7 years (mean 1 y) after banding. Peregrine Falcons banded as pulli/ juveniles were recovered up to 333 km (mean 62 km) away and up to 15 years (mean 2.2 y) later: males were recovered up to 184 km (mean 32 km) away and up to 7 years (mean 1.4 y) later and females up to 293 km (mean 79 km) away and up to 15 years (mean 3.2 y) post-banding. Most recoveries (42–85%, depending on the species) were of birds either found dead (cause unknown) or sick/injured/exhausted; human-related mortalities, either deliberate (persecution) or accidental (e.g. collisions, interactions with infrastructure), largely formed the balance of the reported public recoveries of each species.

>> Download Abstract | File Size: 111 KB
>> Download Complete PDF | File Size: 2.4 MB