Falcon

New Zealand has a native falcon species. Karearea is its name in Te Reo Maori.

Image borrowed from the website in the link above
With all the vineyards in Marlborough and a plethora of introduced (mainly European) bird species that love feasting on grapes some bright spark had an idea that falcons might be the answer. 

There is a breeding programme in this region increasing the population of them in the viticultural areas so it's not uncommon to see them flying over vineyards locally and from there spilling out into their more natural environment of native forest.

Regularly seen flying over this bay, one (I assume it's one) has taken to landing in our yard and doesn't seem to mind proximity of humans. A few days ago I was weeding a confined corner, took a barrowload of weeds to the compost and was wheeling back when the Karearea took off from virtually under the front of my barrow. It had landed silently and was inspecting the newly weeded area (possibly not coincidentally underneath a bird feeder - but one not yet in use) and departed with a glorious lift-off as I returned.

Although that wasn't my first close encounter, I never expect another one.  However I wonder now whether European birds around the feeder might end up being falcon-dinner. I guess nature has to take its course in that respect.... sparrows might be more plentiful and plumper for being fed but the falcons have to live too.

Comments

  1. JayCee16 April 2026 at 19:27

    Always a trade off. Our little birds come to our feeders and then become dinner for the sparrow hawk.

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  2. Yamini MacLean16 April 2026 at 19:39

    Hari OM
    Indeed - nature is as nature does... In Mumbai, Black Kites were almost as ubiquitous as the crows and would land regularly on the fence outside my window. Majestic in their own way and great for keeping down the rodent and snake population... YAM xx

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  3. jabblog16 April 2026 at 20:48

    What a fabulous experience. It is a beautiful hawk and if it works to control the incomers, so much the better. One cannot be squeamish where nature is concerned.
    .

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  4. gz17 April 2026 at 06:13

    I've put my comment in a blogpost on my blog...blogger doesn't always like my phone!!

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  5. angela17 April 2026 at 08:53

    It’s the circle of life.
    Your bright spark sounds like ours. An idiot decided to bring in cane toads. To eat the bugs.
    Only problem is. The roads are on the ground and the bugs at the top of the cane
    Now they are invading all along the east coast and up around the top of Australia. It will only be a matter of time until they get here too

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  6. Amypie7122 April 2026 at 08:26

    i see them sometimes flying over my backyard, lucky my chooks are inside a netted run area.

    ReplyDelete

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