The Nankeen Kestrel is Australia’s smallest falcon, often seen hovering mid-air like it’s been paused by a remote. That rusty-orange plumage isn’t just for show either: males and females look similar, but males tend to be brighter and a bit more dapper. They’re expert wind-surfers, using updrafts along cliffs and buildings to hang perfectly still while scanning for insects, small mammals and lizards. Unlike many raptors, they don’t need to build fancy nests—often claiming old crow or magpie nests, cliff ledges, hollow logs, or even the occasional farm shed. They can spot prey from surprising distances thanks to incredible eyesight, and their “hover and drop” hunting style is so efficient that you’ll often see them working the same patch day after day. Small bird, big energy, huge skills.