The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-09-24 · by Catherine Strohfeldt
A nankeen kestrel named Sparrow went missing from Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane on Wednesday during a routine free flight training session. The 3.5-year-old falcon, unable to be released into the wild due to a past injury, was last seen ascending rapidly and out of sight. Sanctuary officials are using telemetry equipment to track her movements and have appealed for public assistance, asking anyone who spots Sparrow with distinctive falconry gear on her leg to contact them immediately.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Sparrow, a 3.5-year-old nankeen kestrel falcon missing since Wednesday, was last seen during a routine training session at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Fig Tree Pocket, Brisbane. The bird had been living there for about 18 months after being transferred from the Gold Coast’s Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Sparrow is around 20 centimeters tall and has an injured right foot which prevents it from closing its foot normally, making it unsuitable for release into the wild. Assistant Wildlife Curator Andrew Bryant noted that she was one of sixteen birds at the sanctuary but was not being prepared for eventual release due to her injury. Residents in western Brisbane have been asked to keep a lookout for Sparrow if they spot any small falcons resembling a lorikeet.
Written for “Missing Falcon From Sanctuary” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Residents in western Brisbane have been urged to keep an eye on the sky after a local wildlife sanctuary lost a native falcon during a routine free flight training session on Wednesday.
asserted
sanctuary → urge → Wednesday
Sparrow, a 3.5-year-old nankeen kestrel, had been living at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Fig Tree Pocket for about 18 months, having been transferred from the Gold Coast’s Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
asserted
Sparrow → live → Sanctuary
A nankeen kestrel is a small species of falcon with natural habitat that includes south-east Queensland.
asserted
that → include → Queensland
Lone Pine Assistant Wildlife Curator Andrew Bryant said Sparrow was about the size of a lorikeet.
asserted
Sparrow → say → lorikeet
“She would only be probably about, 20 centimetres tall standing … quite a small bird compared to other raptors,” he said.
asserted
he → stand → raptors
The falcon was among 16 birds at the sanctuary, but was not being considered for eventual release.
asserted
falcon → consider → release
“She was brought into a wildlife hospital at an early age with a broken right foot – I believe she had a red zip tie wrapped around it,” Bryant said.
asserted
Bryant → bring → it
“[Her past injury] means she can’t close that foot as much, or in the same way that a normal kestrel would be able to, which does put her at a slight disadvantage.”
asserted
which → mean → disadvantage
He said Sparrow had two free flight training sessions each week, which involve flying to and from a handler unrestrained and in an open area.
asserted
which → say → area
Bryant said the session had been progressing as usual on Wednesday, when the falcon suddenly caught an updraught and rapidly ascended.
asserted
falcon → say → updraught
“The team watched her get really, really high, to the point where they could only just sort of pick her out, and then she moved off to the side and out of sight,” the assistant wildlife curator said.
uncertain
curator → watch → sight
“She had a bit of an exception that day, but because of that potential risk, which is inherent in free flight, she was wearing, telemetry equipment, which is a form of a radio tracker.”
asserted
which → have → tracker
The sanctuary’s main concern was for Sparrow’s wellbeing, given she had been in care from a young age.
asserted
she → give → age
On Thursday afternoon, Lone Pine put out an appeal for public assistance finding the falcon, with Bryant saying the distinguishing feature would be her falconry equipment still attached to her leg.
asserted
feature → put → leg
Bryant said this equipment would look like a leather strap, and a “small plastic unit with an aerial on it”.
asserted
equipment → say → it
“She’s a small bird, and, unless the community is geared up to noticing the specific falconry gear that she’s wearing, she might be a little bit subtle,” he said.
uncertain
he → ’ → that
Lone Pine asked anyone who believed they might have seen Sparrow to take a photo of the bird, note the time and location, and contact their company line during business hours at (07) 3378 1366, or 0437 876 759 after hours.
uncertain
they → ask → hours
Earlier this year, Gold Coast wildlife sanctuary Paradise Country also suffered a runaway resident, with a newly arrived Tasmanian devil jumping over a 1.4-metre fence.
asserted
devil → suffer → fence
The devil, named Mary, was found several weeks later, undergoing treatment before being returned to her enclosure.
asserted
devil → name → enclosure
The Aporia
