The New Zealand Falcon is endemic to New Zealand. Its regional forms differ in size and color, from a small dark forest form to a larger, paler form in dry open country.
The forest-dwelling Bush form is small and dark. The Eastern form of the drier country east of the South Island's Southern Alps is large and pale. The Southern form is intermediate in size and color.
It watches for live prey from a vantage point, then attacks in a fast, direct flight. Birds are its main food, but it also takes insects, mammals, and lizards.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.