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Black Falcons are relatively small raptors. They are the largest of the Australian falcons. The scientific name ("subniger") suggests that they are not black, but very dark brown throughout, except for a lighter brown throat. The underwing pattern is also all dark, with the flight feathers just a bit lighter than the coverts. The tail is long and very dark brown. The two sexes look similar, with only minor differences. Male Black Falcons are dark brown throughout, with flight feathers that are just a bit lighter than the rest of their plumage. Female Black Falcons have a fine pattern of grey spots on the underside of the flight feathers and on the undertail coverts and the base of the underside of the tail. Females are larger than males. Unlike many other species of falcons, they do not have a visible "tear drop" pattern under their eyes. Beak, legs and feet are grey.

"Raptors" (or "birds of prey"), most prominently, but also some species of waders, show a pronounced "dimorphism", i.e. a difference between male and female birds - not just in the appearance of the plumage, but in other, important properties, such as size or strength. Here we explain why.

Twitcher's tip

Compared to Brown Falcons, Black Falcons have much pointier wingtips, with a more pronounced bend at the alula. In general, Black Falcons are more slender than Brown Falcons.

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Black Falcon is available HERE .

Black Falcons are endemic to Australia. With a few exceptions, Black Falcons inhabit roughly the eastern half of the Australian continent plus the Kimberley in WA. They are only rarely found in the rest of WA and not at all in the south-western corner of that state. Rare in Arnhemland and along the southern coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria too, they are not found at all on Cape York peninsula. There are no sightings of Black Falcons along a narrow strip of the south-eastern coastline of NSW and Tasmania either.

Black Falcons hunt mostly in open country, i.e. scrub, heath and open grassland, including semi-arid and arid environments with little vegetation.

Where to look? How to find this species?

Black Falcons tend to hunt in open country. They do so by circling at heights ranging from 30-100 m. The continuous circling while gradually moving along, together with their very dark overall appearance, are good identification criteria. They are visibly smaller, slimmer and usually darker than Brown Falcons.

We first spotted a Black Falcon on the outskirts of Wee Waa, NSW, in September 2012. Again spotted at Yarrie Lake, 15 km South-East of Wee Waa, in the same month.

B. Hensen reports spotting Black Falcon repeatedly at Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, in the timeframe July/August 2013.

In September 2013 we spotted a Black Falcon first above the Narrabri rubbish tip (but not scavenging in the rubbish) and a short time later above the township of Narrabri. Another was seen above Narrabri Lakein August 2017.

C. Hayne reports that Black Falcons are occasionally seen in various locations around Moree, NSW. They have been seen breeding in large dead trees in irrigation farm dams 25 km North-West of Moree.

H. Mouritsen reports spotting a Black Falcon near the Marrakai Track, NT, in October 2015.

S. Debus and K. Fisher report finding a pair of Black Falcons nesting at the airport of Tamworth, NSW, in August 2016.

M. Eaton found a Black Falcon at Lake Clarendon, QLD, in October 2018, and another at Lake Atkinson, QLD, in May 2020.

J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports spotting a Black Falcon at Adels Grove, near Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, in December 2020.

A single Black Falcon was found by us at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake 30 km S of Gunnedah, NSW, in March 2023.

Another Black Falcon was spotted by us near Eulah Creek, NSW, in September 2023.