Black Falcon (5/9)

FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae

Falco subniger  

Driving along the Diamantina Development Road in the early morning, we came across a single Black Falcon on the road on the edge of a group of approximately thirty Black Kites.

At first we thought the kites were hassling the falcon but as we watched them, we changed our opinion.

The kites appeared to be there watching for mice and the falcon was there watching the kites.

Three times whilst we were observing, a Black Kite with a captured mouse was robbed in flight by the Black Falcon.

Eventually, the falcon had breakfasted sufficiently at the Black Kite Cafe and flew off into the distance.