Keeping an eagle eye on Australia's rarest falcon

BIRD watchers across the Central West are being asked to look to the skies and report any sightings of the elusive grey falcon.

Little is known about the grey falcon, which has prompted self-funded bird watcher, researcher and project leader Jonny Schoenjahn along with the organisation, Birds Australia, to find out more.

Over the past two years, Mr Schoenjahn has travelled thousands of kilometres across Australia looking for and investigating possible sightings of this raptor.

"The problem is that the bird is nomadic with no specific breeding area," Mr Schoenjahn said while he was in Longreach last week, checking out regional National Parks.

"One year the conditions might be right for the bird to breed, then the next year they move on.
"Nothing is really known about this bird, so this study is really the first of its kind."

Mr Schoenjahn is yet to locate an active grey falcon nest and admits he needs all the help he can get from locals in order to piece together the mystery of one of Australia’s rarest birds of prey.

"I have been basically everywhere west of the Great Dividing Range.

"I am driven by a mix of passion for birds and the need to gather knowledge about this species.
"Almost any question there is about this bird we don’t know the answer to – we don’t know local populations, whether it is endangered or whether its numbers are increasing."

Mr Schoenjahn describes the grey falcon as being almost the same size as a peregrine falcon, but slightly stockier with broader wings.

"It is very pale underneath, almost white, with a grey upper side.
"The grey falcon has very bright yellow feet, bill and nostril area.
"It’s predominate prey are birds; they love budgerigars, doves and pigeons.
"A good place to look would be waterholes, rivers – anywhere birds will go to have a drink."

For more information about the grey falcon or to report a sighting, contact Jonny Schoenjahn on (08) 9385 9939 or the Longreach Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s senior wildlife ranger Jenny Bowles on 4652 7312.