Birds of Prey of Australia: A Field Guide

By Stephen Debus

This book is an illustrated field guide to diurnal raptors, a bird group that many people find among the most difficult birds to identify. Raptors are popular and iconic birds, and important ecologically as well as in legislation, with some species listed as threatened. Birds of Prey of Australia will enable people to more easily identify them. It also provides a brief overview of the biology of raptors and an indication of the current state of knowledge on them.
The book has been completely revised and updated, with 15 years of new data, a section on difficult species-pairs (split-images providing direct contrast), and rearranged in modern field-guide format, making it easy to use and enabling rapid identification of ‘difficult’ raptors.
Birds of Prey of Australia will appeal to a wide range of readers, including ornithologists, raptor biologists, birdwatchers, wildlife rescuers/carers, raptor rehabilitators, zookeepers, naturalists, bushwalkers, ecological consultants, fauna authorities, park rangers, state forestry personnel and students.
2013 Whitley Award Commendation for Vertebrate Guide.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING
• Release date: Sep 6, 2012
• ISBN: 9780643104389

Stephen Debus

Dr Stephen Debus has studied Australia’s raptors, including falcons, for over 40 years. He is an honorary research associate in zoology at the University of New England. He is the author of Australasian Eagles and Eagle-like Birds, Australian Birds of Prey in Flight and Birds of Prey of Australia (CSIRO Publishing), and was awarded BirdLife Australia’s D.L. Serventy Medal for ornithological publication.

Book preview

Birds of Prey of Australia

A FIELD GUIDE

2nd edition

Also by Stephen Debus

The Owls of Australia: A Field Guide

Dr Stephen Debus has researched and written about raptors for many years. After studying Little Eagles, he conducted a search for the Red Goshawk in New South Wales and was a volunteer observer for the RAOU Red Goshawk study in the Northern Territory. He observed Square-tailed Kites, Collared Sparrowhawks and Australian Hobbies through their breeding cycles specially for HANZAB, to which he contributed. One of the founding members of the Australasian Raptor Association, Stephen Debus edited its newsletter for 10 years (1980–89), and for another eight years (since 2004) after it became the journal Boobook. He co-edited the ARA conference proceedings Australian Raptor Studies II. He has edited Australian Field Ornithology (formerly the Australian Bird Watcher) for 28 years, has written two books and has contributed to several others. He is an Honorary Associate in the Division of Zoology, University of New England, and conducts faunal surveys and assessments for government and industry. Recently, he reviewed the conservation status of some raptors for the NSW Scientific Committee, after completing a PhD and a postdoctoral research fellowship in Zoology at UNE on declining woodland birds. Since then he has been conducting annual, spare-time observational projects on the breeding biology of various raptors (mainly eagles and falcons) that were little documented in HANZAB. He also collated and subedited the raptor special issues of Corella (journal of the Australian Bird Study Association): Wedge-tailed Eagle (2007), White-bellied Sea-Eagle (2009) and rare raptors (Red Goshawk, Grey Falcon and Black Falcon, 2011).

Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds

The Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) is one of the most significant and exciting projects in international ornithology. Produced by Birds Australia (formerly the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union), HANZAB provides an up-to-date, accurate and comprehensive synthesis of knowledge of all the birds that occur in this region. This seven-volume project continues the tradition of authoritative publications on Australasian birds that began with Gould’s Handbook of Australian Birds (1865). It will have an enormous impact on the future direction of research and on the conservation of Australasian and Antarctic birds.

Volume 1: Ratites to Ducks

Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings

Volume 3: Pratincoles to Pigeons

Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbird

Volume 5: Tyrant-flycatchers to Chats

Volume 6: Pardalotes to Shrike-thrushes

Volume 7: Boatbill to Starlings

Birds of Prey of Australia

A FIELD GUIDE

2nd edition

Stephen Debus

Illustrated by Jeff Davies

in association with

© BirdLife Australia and Stephen Debus 2012 All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Contact CSIRO PUBLISHING for all permission requests.

National Library of Australia

Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Debus, Stephen J. S.

Birds of prey of Australia / by Stephen Debus.

2nd ed.

9780643104365 (pbk.)

9780643104372 (epdf)

9780643104389 (epub)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Birds of prey – Australia – Identification.

598.90994

Published by

CSIRO PUBLISHING

150 Oxford Street (PO Box 1139)

Collingwood VIC 3066

Australia

Telephone: [phone]

Local call: 1300 788 000 (Australia only)

Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Website: www.publish.csiro.au

Front cover: Adult female Red Goshawk with

parrot prey. Photo: Chris Field.

Back cover: Adult female Grey Falcon.

Photo: Peter Nunn.

Set in Minion Pro 9/12 and ITC Stone Sans

Edited by Adrienne de Kretser

(Righting Writing)

Colour illustrations by J.N. Davies

Cover design by James Kelly

Text design & typeset by Andrew Weatherill

Printed in China by 1010 Printing

International Ltd

CSIRO PUBLISHING publishes and distributes scientific, technical and health science books, magazines and journals from Australia to a worldwide audience and conducts these activities autonomously from the research activities of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of, and should not be attributed to, the publisher or CSIRO.

Original print edition:

The paper this book is printed on is in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council®. The FSC® promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

CONTENTS

Preface to the first edition

Preface to the second edition

Introduction: Birds of prey

PART I: FIELD GUIDE

Species descriptions

Unconfirmed vagrants and doubtful species

Difficult species-pairs

Photographs

PART II: HANDBOOK

Ospreys, genus Pandion

Eastern Osprey Pandion cristatus

Small kites, genus Elanus

Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris

Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus

Pernine kites

Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura

Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon

Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata

Australian endemic hawks, genus Erythrotriorchis

Red Goshawk Erythrotriorchis radiatus

Large kites and sea-eagles

Black Kite Milvus migrans

Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus

Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus

White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster

Goshawks and sparrowhawks, genus Accipiter

Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus

Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus

Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae

Harriers, genus Circus

Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis

Swamp Harrier Circus approximans

Booted eagles, genera Aquila and Hieraaetus

Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax

Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides

Falcons, genus Falco

Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides

Brown Falcon Falco berigora

Australian Hobby Falco longipennis

Grey Falcon Falco hypoleucos

Black Falcon Falco subniger

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

Threats, conservation and the future

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

BirdLife Australia

BirdLife Australia is the national non-profit organisation for the conservation of birds, finding solutions to the threats they face and inspiring action to ensure birds and their habitats flourish. BirdLife Australia produces a range of publications including Australian Birdlife, a quarterly magazine; Emu – Austral Ornithology, a quarterly scientific journal; and Australian Field Ornithology, a quarterly journal of bird study. It also maintains a comprehensive library, and operates a network of Branches in all states as well as Special Interest Groups, Reserves and Observatories. Membership is open to anyone interested in birds and their habitats, and concerned about the future of our avifauna. For further information, contact: BirdLife Australia, Suite 2-05, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053, or visit www.birdlife.org.au.

Australasian Raptor Association

The Australasian Raptor Association (ARA) is a subgroup of BirdLife Australia, acting as a focus for those with an interest in diurnal and nocturnal raptors of the Australian region. The group’s broad aims are to promote raptor research, conservation and management and to foster communication and co-operation in the region. It publishes a journal, Boobook, and a newsletter, Circus. The ARA holds regular conferences, a reflection of the high professional and amateur interest in raptors. Proceedings of past conferences were Australian Raptor Studies (1989, available as a PDF from the ARA website) and Australian Raptor Studies II (1996). Abstracts from the 2003, 2008 and 2010 conferences were published in Boobook, and summaries of some of the 2008 papers were also published in Wingspan (BirdLife Australia magazine). Some recent conference papers have appeared in the scientific literature. Contact BirdLife Australia or visit the ARA website: www.birdlife.org.au and navigate via Special Interest Groups.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

Birds of prey, by virtue of their powers of flight and vision, their imposing manner and their impressive predatory capabilities, have captured the imagination of humans. Although in recent times birds of prey have not always been thought of favourably, they have long been valued as agents of the hunt in the ancient art of falconry, or as totemic figures in tribal cultures. Today, the first close encounter with a bird of prey can leave a lasting impression. To a few, like myself, it means a lifelong fascination with these magnificent birds. For me, the catalyst was the awesome sight of Wedge-tailed Eagles in flight at close range, juxtaposed with their sorry corpses strung up on paddock fences, in the Riverina of New South Wales in the 1960s. Since then I have seen all the Australian species in the field, and become privileged to know several species intimately by observing their breeding cycle and studying their biology.

Notwithstanding the animosity of certain sections of the community, mainly those concerned with pigeon-racing and livestock, birds of prey still generate much interest. They have a high profile in television documentaries and popular literature, and are increasingly in the public eye as individuals fall foul of the dangers of the modern industrial world. Wildlife rescue services are inundated with injured, orphaned or poisoned birds. For those coming into contact with birds of prey, questions arise repeatedly: What kind is it? What does it eat? How does it live? The answers are crucial if wildlife managers and rehabilitators are to do their job properly.

[In the 1960s], for a boy in a small country town, little relevant information was available. In the way of books there was Cayley’s What Bird is That? and Leach’s Australian Bird Book (both poor as field guides), a British book that said a little about European birds of prey, and a fictional book on the Peregrine Falcon in North America. The appearance of Slater’s Field Guide to Australian Birds in 1970 was a milestone.

Today there are many good field guides, photographic books, a major reference handbook and a treatise on the biology and ecology of Australian birds of prey. Nevertheless, good ornithologists can have difficulty identifying some raptors, even in the hand, and many find them baffling. Yet they are easy to identify if one knows what to look for, even at great distances.

My purpose in this book is to provide an inexpensive guide to the Australian raptors that will enable laypeople and bird enthusiasts alike to identify raptors, whether in the field or in the hand, and to learn a little about the birds’ biology. It is intended to supplement rather than compete with the other books by, I hope, taking a fresh approach to the problem of identification.

This book draws heavily on volume 2 of the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB), prepared by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (RAOU) and published by Oxford University Press in 1993. Much of the information is condensed from that volume, and the colour plates of raptors in flight are reproduced here. I also gratefully acknowledge Lynx Edicions for permission to use some of the information on Australian raptors in the Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 2. Original research [on morphology] by David Eades, Danny Rogers and David James, section editors of HANZAB, is incorporated in the species descriptions.

I gratefully acknowledge the early encouragement and support of my parents, Graham and Beatrice Debus, and the later encouragement of many colleagues, including Dr Peter Jarman (my graduate supervisor at the University of New England), Dr David Baker-Gabb (RAOU Director 1992–97), and latterly my boss at UNE, Dr Hugh Ford. I thank my referees, Tom Aumann and Dr Penny Olsen, who commented helpfully on a draft of the manuscript, and Peter Higgins (co-editor of HANZAB), who cast an RAOU eye over it. The responsibility for any errors is mine.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

The impetus for a second edition came mainly from ongoing enquiries about the book’s availability, after its last printing in 2001, and overseas online booksellers charging extortionate prices for the first edition since it went out of print. Evidently there was still a demand for the guide, despite its being 10 years out of date. This, coupled with the growth in knowledge of Australian raptors over the past decade and DNA studies that have revolutionised our understanding of raptor taxonomic relationships, indicated that a complete revision of the book was clearly due. The rise of digital photography has also enabled critical review of the field characters of Australian raptors, and the highlighting of some previously overlooked or understated ones. Therefore, this is a second edition in the true bibliographic sense, completely revised and updated in the light of new knowledge (including personal field study of further species since 1998).

With increasing scientific knowledge of our raptors, it is apparent that some old lore is incorrect or suspect. The early ‘greats’, such as Gould, Diggles, North, Mathews and their natural-historian collectors and informants, got it right to the extent possible in those days. However, we have to doubt some of the statements from certain grazier-naturalists and other amateur ornithologists in the early to mid 20th century, who were influenced by the prevailing negative attitude to raptors, and the lack of information on field identification. Consequently, bird books and some articles antedating HANZAB might be unreliable on raptor lore (with the notable exception of original works by raptor specialists Frank Morris, Jack and Lindsay Cupper, David Hollands and Humphrey Price-Jones). Similarly, information from some amateur birders up to at least the 1980s, and even today in some databases such as bird atlases, might be doubtful in some respects. For instance, the more I revisit certain historical sightings and accounts of rare species such as the Square-tailed Kite, Red Goshawk or Grey and Black Falcons from the 1930s to 1980s (and even later), the more I doubt some of them. If there is a conflict between what the pre-HANZAB books or articles say and the recent scientific literature (see bibliography), favour the latter.

Publication of this edition by CSIRO has freed up the imposed format of the first edition. At the helpful suggestion of John Manger, this edition is reorganised in field-guide format with identification text opposite single-species plates, as a double-page spread for each species. The ‘split images’ at the end of the field-guide section were originally the brainchild of Nick Mooney and Greg Czechura, who used them to compare anatomy between, and flight attitudes (soaring versus gliding) within, species; it seemed a logical extension to adapt the idea to compare and contrast similar species in flight.

I thank John Manger (CSIRO) and Adrienne de Kretser (Righting Writing) for editing the text. I thank BirdLife Australia, as custodian of the HANZAB plates, and especially Sid Cowling and Graeme Hamilton, for permitting the plates to be digitised and supplied by the State Library of Victoria; also Madeleine Say and her team at the Library for supplying the scans. This facility enabled digital manipulation of images (expertly, by Pilar Aguilera and her team at CSIRO) to achieve the effect in the reorganised plates and the ‘difficult species-pairs’ section. Thanks also to Naomi Dowsett (CSIRO) for drawing the wing profiles. I thank Paul Setchell, critical user