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Gyrfalcon

Falco rusticolusOrder: FALCONIFORMESFamily: Falcons (Falconidae)

Gyrfalcon Portrait
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General

Gyrfalcon: Large northern falcon that has three color morphs: dark, white, and gray. Dark morph is dark gray with pale streaks on throat and upper breast. White morph is mostly white with dark spots and markings on wings, nape, and sides. Gray morph is intermediate. Eyes, bill, and legs of all three morphs are yellow. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has gray eyes, bill, and legs.

Range and Habitat

Gyrfalcon: Breeds on tundra in northern Alaska and Canada. Spends winters in breeding range and regularly (but rarely) south to the northern tier of states, especially along coasts. Found in boreal forests, cliffs, and coastal areas.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"hyaik-hyaik-hyaik", "kack-kack-kack"

Interesting Facts

  • The Gyrfalcon is the largest true falcon in the world.
  • They have been highly regarded by falconers throughout history and in the Middle Ages, only a king could hunt with a Gyrfalcon.
  • Birds that nest in the arctic regions frequently begin breeding and laying eggs when the temperature is still below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
  • A group of falcons has many collective nouns, including a "bazaar", "eyrie", "ringing up", "stooping up", and "tower" of falcons.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Gyrfalcon
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Falco rusticolus
Length20 - 25 Inches
Wingspan56 Inches

Gyrfalcon

Gyrfalcon: Large northern falcon with three color morphs: dark, white, and gray. Dark morph is dark gray with pale streaks on throat and upper breast. White morph is white with dark spots and markings on wings, nape, and sides. Gray morph is a mix. The eyes, bill, and legs of all morphs are yellow.

● Song: "hyaik-hyaik-hyaik", "kack-kack-kack"

● Foraging & Feeding: Gyrfalcon: Prey consists of ptarmigans, ground squirrels, hares, mice, voles, ducks, and other birds; hunts while soaring.

● Breeding & nesting: Gyrfalcon: Three to eight white, buff, or pale yellow eggs with small red spots are laid in an abandoned stick nest, usually built by ravens. Incubation ranges from 28 to 36 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Gyrfalcon: Prairie and Peregrine falcons resemble darker morphs, but are smaller with thinner wings and tails, and lack pale flight feathers contrasting with darker wing linings; Prairie Falcon has a black underwing patch while the Peregrine has evenly dark underwings.

Flight Pattern

Sometimes soars on thermals., Slow powerful steady wing beats.
Gryfalcon Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Gyrfalcon: Breeds on tundra in northern Alaska and Canada. Spends winters in breeding range and regularly (but rarely) south to the northern tier of states, especially along coasts. Found in boreal forests, cliffs, and coastal areas.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationRare
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight41.6 Ounces