Is there a Scottish subspecies of peregrine falcon? (1 Viewer)

[Lmc3598]

Hi again
I remember reading somewhere on the web that Scotland had its own subspecies of peregrine called falco peregrinus scotius. However, I have looked it up again and nothing has come up.

Is this true? I just seems unlikely that a subspecies exists only in Scotland and south of the border they are all another subspecies. Anyone know?

Thanks

 

[halftwo]

This comprehensive map should answer your question in the negative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PeregrineSubspeciesMap.png

 

[Shadow-watcher]

Sub species is usually just a nomenclature for geography. I believe it to identify populations of the same species who could, but do not interbreed due to geographic isolation.

From 1/2Two's map its clear that Scotlands population of pergrines arent recognised as an official sub-species, but it may be being argued by someone somewhere that they should be.

 

[Mysticete]

there are a lot of invalid subspecies names out there...without doing a more detailed search I would guess an endemic subspecies at some point was described, than subsequently lumped into whatever more widespread subspecies is present in your area.

 

[MJB]

Hi again, I remember reading somewhere on the web that Scotland had its own subspecies of peregrine called falco peregrinus scotius. However, I have looked it up again and nothing has come up. Is this true? I just seems unlikely that a subspecies exists only in Scotland and south of the border they are all another subspecies. Anyone know? Thanks

Good question, because as was said in another post, there are many invalid subspecies names in bird name history. There's no mention of it in Howard & Moore 3rd edition (Complete Checklist of Birds of the World), not even in the footnotes. The name may have arisen via an early ornithologist (I haven't checked through the Seton Gordon books), but it sounds more likely that it arose from the Sunday Post 'Nature Correspondent' after a whisky or three!

Before the Scottish Parliament, it was fairly common for very strange edicts to come out of Whitehall's Scottish Office. Maybe they forbade the wearing of trews in favour of the kilt, not realising the increase in aerodynamic drag that would accrue, and scotius wasn't fast enough then to catch a cold, let alone a bird!
MJB
Wha's like us? Damn few, an' they're a' deid!

 

[Lmc3598]

The place I found it was Allposters (not a very birding related website, I know) and next to the some of the photos it said 'scottish peregrine falcon, falco peregrinus scotius'. However, I have looked again and its not there, but one of the photos does still say 'scottish race'.

 

[david kelly]

According to "The Birds of Scotland" the Peregrines breeding in Scotland (and the rest of the UK) are the nominate subspecies F.p. peregrinus. The endemic subspecies of Scotland are Fair Isle Wren, St Kilda Wren, Shetland Wren, Hebridean Song Thrush, Ptarmigan, Shetland Starling and "scoticus" Crested Tit. Then there's that Crossbill........

David