- Falco rusticolus
Identification
Distribution
Circumpolar. 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 United States. 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 Kamchatka. In winter ranges south to southern Norway, central Finland and across Russia to about 60 degrees north. 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.
Taxonomy
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.
Behaviour
Voice
<flashmp3>Falco rusticolus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
