Hunting Rates and Prey of a Pair of Breeding Nankeen Kestrels Falco cenchroides near Sydney, New South Wales

Abstract

The behaviour of a pair of Nankeen Kestrels Falco cenchroides at a nest-site was observed for 32 hours over four days in spring 1999 at a rural site at Camden, New South Wales, during the nestling stage. The mean prey-delivery rate to the nest was 3.80 ± 0.78 items per observation hour, of which the male transferred 1.5 ± 0.35 items per hour to the female. The prey-delivery rate increased over the observation period , to twice the initial rate by four days after day 1. Lizards approximately 50 mm or less in length made up the majority (87%) of prey items, with fewer mice (10%) and other small items (n = 123).