- Falco fasciinucha
Identification
30 cm. In flight shows a profile similar to a Peregrine Falcon but has a rufous-orange breast and underwing coverts. There are rufous patches on the nape and a white throat contrasting with black moustacial stripe.
Similar species
Perigrine Falcon, African Hobby, Eurasian Hobby, Red-necked Falcon, and Lanner Falcon.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa: Discontinuous range in eastern and southern Africa breeding in southern Ethiopia, central Kenya and northern Tanzania and further south breeds in southern Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Resident. Rare over most of range.
A pair of Taita Falcons has been breeding at the Strijdom tunnel in the Limpopo province, South Africa. This is the only known nest in South Africa. A few birds have been seen on occasion in the same mountain range (Drakensberg mountains) in the Limpopo province by a BirdLife S.A. survey team in 2007.
Taxonomy
Habitat
Hills and mountains with cliffs, usually at 2,000-4,000 m. The best known locality is the Zambezi Gorge on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border where it may no longer occur.
Status
Classified as Near Threatened in the 2008 IUCN Red List (BirdLife International, 2008) as it is thought to have a very small population.
Behaviour
Nest in a burrow in a cliff about 1 m in depth. Hunts early in the morning out of breeding season or any time during the day while rearing young.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- BirdLife International (2008) Species factsheet: Falco fasciinucha. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21 May 2008.
External Links
[1]Birding Limpopo
