Brown Falcon and Black-shouldered Kite having a barney
I was looking for the silo art in Merriwa, New South Wales, when I came across a Brown Falcon and a Black-shouldered Kite having a disagreement.
This is my first sighting of a Brown Falcon. It was cool to see the bird doing some aerial acrobatics!
The action goes down very fast! I’ve taken some stills from the video, to make it easier to see what happens:
Despite the aerial competence, Brown Falcons feed mostly on the ground, eating reptiles, beetles and grasshoppers, mice, and carrion. Look at those long legs and strong feet, good for picking off the unwary prey as it makes its way across a field or a road.
Here’s a shot of the Brown Falcon taking a rest after the action was over:
Common name: Brown Falcon and Black-shouldered Kite
Scientific name: Falco Berigora and Elanus axillarus
Approximate length: 40-50 cm (Brown Falcon) and 35 cm (Black-shouldered Kite)
Date spotted: 12 September 2025 (spring)
Location: Merriwa, New South Wales, Australia: 32°08’14.9″S 150°21’50.6″E
For those interested in the silo art, here it is! The Merriwa Silos are the 29th addition to the Australian Silo Art Trail Collection. The artwork was completed by David Lee Pereira in April 2019:
Posted on 2025/09/16, in Birds, Black-shouldered Kite, Brown Falcon and tagged australia, birds, birds of prey, birdwatching, Black-shouldered Kite, Brown Falcon, Falcon. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Sydney Birder 
Incredible photos of the aerial encounter and of the brown falcon afterwards. And the silos were impressive too!
Thanks jml! It was amazing to watch, and even more amazing when I slowed down the video and saw the falcon doing the back flip.