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Gyrfalcon - BirdForum Opus

Revision as of 17:17, 30 December 2007 by BigRedBirder (talk | contribs)
Falco rusticolus
Photo by Gaukur
This (2cy) Gyr Falcon has been frequenting the harbour area of Husavik, Iceland but never as tame as today

Identification

Distribution

North, northern Europe and northern Asia. In North America breeds in much of Alaska, much of Arctic Canada and in coastal Greenland. In winter ranges south throughout most of Canada and rarely to the northern states of the USA. Very rarely wanders south as far as northern California, Colorado, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

In Eurasia breeds in Iceland and in the mountains and north of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, the north of the Kola Peninsula and coastal Arctic Russia east to Kanchatka. In winter ranges south to southern Norway, central Finland and across Russia to about 600N. In the east a rare winter visitor to north-east China and Hokkaido, Japan.

Recorded as a vagrant to most European countries from Svalbard and the Faroes in the north to Portugal, Spain and the Balearics, northern Italy, Switzerland and the Ukraine in the south. Annually recorded in Britain (c.120 modern records) and Ireland.

Habitat

Breeds on cliffs, inland in mountains or tundra river-valleys, or in the far north along sea-coasts. Migrants hunt over open steppes, marshes or cultivated land.

Shot in Boston, Massachusetts

Voice

<flashmp3>Falco rusticolus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

External Links

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