Lanner or Peregrine falcon South Africa (1 Viewer)

[Greg McKay]

These photos were taken in the Kgalagadi N.P Sth Africa.
At first glance we identified them as Lanner Falcons but the one on the left is small and has a darker head and spots on its chest the suggest pEREGRINE.
However
It has a teardrop which peregrines don't.
Not be anything like an expert on African birds I still believe both birds to be Lanner's but would welcome some confirmation on why the difference in size and markings.

 

[njlarsen]

I am no expert either, but Lanners start out as quite a bit more marked on the underside as juveniles, so I assume the left hand bird is in less than full adult plumage; and the sexes do have different size, females larger like in most (all?) other falcons. Therefore, going out on a limb I will say Lanner.

Niels

 

[Andy Hurley]

Hi Greg,
In "Raptors of the World" by James Ferguson-Lees and David Christie, it looks like a male Lanner Falcon nominate. "flanks and thighs spotted". I would agree with NJLarsen in that males are smaller.

Andy

 

[tconzemi]

Hi
very nice pair of Lanner, males smaller and plumage with some variations, both adults anyway.
Great picture
Tom

 

[Manne]

Lanner falcons

 

[Trevor Hardaker]

Agree that they are both adult Lanners and that one is a male (the smaller one) and the other is a female.

As an aside, Peregrine would be extremely unusual in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park anyway whereas Lanner is common there...

 

[apbarr]

Falconers refer to the male falcon as a tiercel which is derived from old french for one third. Male falcons are supposedely one third smaller than females. yet another piece of useless information taking up my increasingly scarce brain cells

 

[Greg McKay]

Thanks for your help everyone