Territory and Habitat

Brisbane Forest Park, Northbrook Gorge

A single pair of Peregrine Falcons resides in Brisbane's CBD. These birds, and their offspring, are responsible for sightings ranging from West End and South Bank to Red Hill, Victoria Park Golf Course, Bowen Hills and a number of adjacent suburbs.

Peregrines are versatile birds that live in a variety of climatic zones and habitat types.

In Australia, they occur across the continent (except on treeless, waterless plains) and are present on many offshore islands. Some, like Frodo and his mate, have even joined the population drift into major towns and cities.

There is probably nowhere in the Greater Brisbane Region that Peregrine Falcons cannot be seen and several breeding pairs reside here.

Although Peregrines can be seen widely, a few birds account for all sightings. Like all 'top predators', they are uncommon and highly territorial.

The total world Peregrine population is thought to number 12,000–18,000 breeding pairs. 3000–5000 of them live on the Australian mainland and in Tasmania. The Queensland population has been estimated at around 950 breeding pairs (approx. one pair per 1800 sq km) with 25–35 pairs in South-east Queensland (6–10 pairs in the Greater Brisbane Region).

Each pair permanently holds and defends an area of land (territory) from other Peregrines. The size of the territory varies according to quality of the habitat and availability of prey. This explains why there may be as many as one pair per 30 sq km or as few as one pair per 14,000 sq km in different parts of Australia.

The Courier-Mail's Frodocam is available for viewing here [new window].