A native falcon chick at Manawatū Golf Club is tagged by Noel Hyde from Wingspan.

A newborn native falcon has made a home at the Manawatū Golf Club.

A pair of falcons have nested in trees at the golf course during nesting season, which is usually October to December, for the past three years and the birds have been known to swoop by people when protecting their chicks.

This year a new chick has been born, which is now 2½ weeks old and nested in the base of a tall pine on the first fairway. The tree has been roped off to stop anyone getting too close and a few abandoned golf balls lie at its base.

This week Noel Hyde, from Wingspan, the national bird of prey centre, came to tag the chick to track it.

READ MORE:

* NZ Falcon chicks taking flight at Wairakei Golf Course and Sanctuary

* Nesting falcon attacks prompt detour on Rotorua cycle trail

* Gulls light up New Brighton

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Noel Hyde, from Wingspan, the national bird of prey centre, has tagged a native falcon chick nesting at the Manawatū Golf Club.

The father was likely out hunting when Stuff visited, but the mother was guarding the nest, swooping anyone who came near the tree.

But Hyde casually strolled to the nest, oblivious to the dive-bombing mother to grab the female chick, which calmly sat in his lap while he tagged its leg.

It had grey down feathers and weighed 532 grams.

"We put a band on the bird in the hope that should the youngster return, we'll be able to track its history. Falcons generally have a high mortality rate in the wild and who knows, this bird could reappear anywhere in the area."

He hoped the bird would find a mate and set up in its own territory.

The chick should be able to fly in 38 days.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A native falcon, the mother of a new chick, perches in a pine tree between the first and 13th holes at the Manawatū Golf Club.

Hyde said the birds nesting on the golf course showed how adaptable they were by moving into a human habitat.

"The golf club is doing a stunning job of actually protecting it and embracing the fact they have got the birds on the course."

The club's marketing and events manager, Rachel Huxtable, said there had been only a couple of people with tiny scratches in the three years and a few hats knocked off.

The club has signs out warning people of the nesting birds and has told all members to be careful.

"They're pretty happy here. When they're not nesting they just fly around the course living life, not squawking and not attacking."

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A 2½-week-old falcon chick has been born in a nest at the Manawatū Golf Club.

Golf club members Nigel Tristam​ and Bruce Simpson were teeing off on the first hole and preparing to make their way past the falcon on Wednesday morning.

"I think it's great that they're here," Tristam said. "The only problem is you've got to watch out when you have to look for your ball."

​Tristam said he had been swooped, but it wasn't a problem.

"Everybody has got to live somewhere."

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Manawatū Golf Club marketing and events manager Rachel Huxtable shows off the young falcon chick.

Simpson said it could be a bit of a nuisance having to look out for the falcon, but he understood why.

He said a lot of people carried umbrellas to hold above their head and protect themselves.

Massey ecologist Cleland Wallace has been photographing the birds since they arrived three years ago.

He said the birds had nested at the golf club each year and spent the winter at Massey eating pigeons.