Australia is home to 25 diurnal birds of prey including 19 birds from the Accipitridae family and six from the Falconidae family.
Family – Accipitridae
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Small, hovering white-tailed kites – Elanus
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus


Pernines – crested hawks Aviceda and endemic Australian hawks
Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura
Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon
Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata
Endemic Red Goshawk Erythrotriorchis radiatus
Large Kites and Sea-eagles
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus,
White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Goshawks and sparrowhawks – Accipiter
Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus
Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus
Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae
Harriers – Circus
Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis
Swamp Harrier Circus approximans


‘True’ eagles with feathered legs
Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax,
Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides


Family – Falconidae
Genus Falco
Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Australian Hobby Falco longipennis
Grey Falcon Falco hypoleucos
Black Falcon Falco subniger
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus