Breeding Behaviour and Diet of the Australian Hobby Falco longipennis in Northern New South Wales

Abstract

A pair of Australian Hobbies Falco longipennis and their three young were observed at Armidale, on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, during December 1990-January 1991, for 50 and 27 hours during nestling and post-fledging periods, respectively. Behaviour patterns, sex roles, growth and development of young and voice are described. The diet was 74% birds and 26% insects by number, 98% and 2% by biomass respectively. Birds were small passerines and parrots (100 g, predominantly House Sparrows Passer domesticus and Common Starlings Stumus vulgaris with at least 45% of avian prey being exotic species by number, at least 60% exotics by biomass. There was a mean of 0.7 prey deliveries per hour for both nestling and post-fledging periods.