New Zealand falcon | |
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Male falcon | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Falconiformes |
Family: | Falconidae |
Subfamily: | Falconinae |
Genus: | Falco |
Species: | F. novaeseelandiae
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Binomial name | |
Falco novaeseelandiae Gmelin, JF, 1788
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The New Zealand falcon (Māori: kārearea or kāiaia; Falco novaeseelandiae) is New Zealand's only falcon. Other common names for the bird are bush hawk and sparrow hawk. It is frequently mistaken for the larger and more common swamp harrier. It is the country's most threatened bird of prey, with only around 3000–5000 breeding pairs remaining.[3][4]