• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Turbott, E.G. 1990. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand. Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Wellington.

Population justification: The species is often divided into three forms (although it is taxonomically considered monotypic herein): 'Bush', 'Southern' and 'Eastern' (Marchant and Higgins 1993). Population estimates by Fox (1978) are as follows: 'Bush' form (North Island and north-west South Island) 450-850 pairs; 'Southern' form (south-west coast of South Island and Auckland Islands) 140-270 pairs; and 'Eastern' form (of the remainder of South Island) 3,100-3,200. Thus the population was then estimated at 7,400-8,800 mature individuals. No more recent estimate has been made and since this time some populations have declined and/or recovered in ways that introduce considerable uncertainty to data more than 40 years on. For these reasons, the population is now suspected to number 5,000-15,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: F. novaeseelandiae formerly declined because of habitat destruction, persecution and the effects of DDT. However, it has been comparatively tolerant of pervasive habitat modification throughout New Zealand, breeding successfully in plantations and feeding principally on non-native birds and mammals (Marchant and Higgins 1993, Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001, Seaton 2009). Some populations have been recorded declining (Gaze and Hutzler 2004) and the species has apparently become extinct on Stewart Island (Bell 2017). The 'Bush' form is listed nationally as 'Nationally Increasing' (Robertson et al. 2021; according to criteria established by Townsend et al. 2008), indicating that the species has formerly declined (within the last 1,000 years) but now has an ongoing or predicted increase of >10% (in population size or area of occupancy) over the next three generations. The 'Eastern' form, which was previously thought to be increasing, is now listed as 'Nationally Vulnerable' due to its small, stable population which is predicted to remain stable over the next three generations. The 'Southern' form (comprising <5% of the global population) is thought to number less than 1,000 mature individuals and is therefore listed as 'Nationally Endangered,' however under criteria (sensu Townsend et al. 2008) that indicate that the small population is stable and predicted to remain stable over the next three generations. The quality of these data are however poor (Robertson et al. 2021) and require confirmation. The global population of F. novaeseelandiae is precautionarily therefore suspected to be stable, however may be increasing.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Falco novaeseelandiae. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 27/01/2023. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 27/01/2023.