The diet of New Zealand falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae) on the Auckland Islands, New Zealand

New Zealand falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae) on the Auckland Islands primarily target endemic land birds, including the Auckland Island rail, snipe, and teal, which collectively make up a third of their prey by weight. This study analyzed 1588 bones from 215 bird individuals across 18 species, alongside feathers and range stones found in regurgitated pellets, revealing a diet heavily influenced by procellariiform seabirds—evidence suggesting nocturnal hunting behavior. While the bellbird was the most frequent prey, Antarctic prions and subantarctic diving petrels were also common. The findings highlight the falcons' role as apex predators, maintaining balance in an ecosystem where endemic ground-dwelling birds face extinction risks from introduced mammals but persist under native predation pressure.

Hyde, N. H. S., & Worthy, T. H. (2010). The diet of New Zealand falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae) on the Auckland Islands, New Zealand. Notornis, 57(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.63172//763047eijmmw