Dr. Tim Henderson has dedicated his career to protecting wildlife. As an ecologist at the Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary, he works daily to help endangered species survive and recover.
But outside of work, Henderson has another passion: birdwatching. And during a recent outing in Ngalia Walpiri and Luritja Country near Alice Springs, that hobby led to an extraordinary moment.
A Blur in the Sky
While scanning the sky, Henderson noticed a bird streaking past at incredible speed. Acting on instinct, he lifted his camera and took a quick shot. At the time, he assumed it was just another raptor.
Later that day, as he reviewed the photo on his computer, he realized he had captured something truly remarkable — a Siberian peregrine falcon, the fastest animal on Earth.
“I’m honestly amazed the photo wasn’t blurry,” Henderson joked in a press release.
The World’s Fastest Hunter
Peregrine falcons are known for their jaw-dropping speed, reaching up to 186 miles per hour during their hunting dives — faster than even a cheetah on land.
While peregrines are found across the globe, the Siberian subspecies typically inhabits icy tundra regions. This makes Henderson’s photograph especially significant: it’s the first recorded sighting of a Siberian peregrine falcon in Australia’s arid interior.
Why Was It There?
Henderson believes unusual weather patterns may explain the rare visit.
“In 2024, we had 637 millimeters of rainfall, the wettest year since 2001 and the fifth wettest on record,” he said. The rainfall filled normally dry wetlands, attracting large numbers of prey species — and, in turn, drawing in top predators like falcons.
A Lucky Year for Birds
This wasn’t Henderson’s only rare encounter. Earlier in the year, he also photographed a red goshawk, one of Australia’s most endangered birds.
Reflecting on both sightings, Henderson said:
“I was thrilled to capture another bird that’s rarely, if ever, seen in Central Australia. 2025 really was a lucky bird year.”