Page 418 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

BIRDS OF PREY
Family Falconidae Species Falco vespertinus Family Falconidae Species Falco eleonorae
Red-footed Falcon Eleonora’s Falcon
Small, delicate, slightly rounded in its contours, the This is a large, rakish, long-tailed, sharp-winged falcon
Red-footed Falcon is between a Hobby and Kestrel of Mediterranean regions. One form is all-dark and
(see pp.142, 140) in shape and behaviour. It hovers, blackish,and another has a white collar,dark moustache,
but also swoops gracefully in pursuit of insects. Old and rufous underside.The underwing is two-toned,
males are smoky grey with paler wingtips, dark in front.Juveniles are plainer with narrow bars and
young ones grey with dark wingtips pale cheeks. Eleonora’s Falcons catch small
and reddish belly patches. Females migrant birds over the sea or big insects
are barred grey and smoky grey over lakes and marshes.
brown, and pale buff body OCCURRENCE Scarce white
neck
on the crown and on Mediterranean
underside. islands and coasts.
OCCURRENCE Breeds VOICE Sharp, nasal,
in E Europe, regular but grating chatter.
rare in spring/summer
in W Europe. ADULT
VOICE High, quick, (PALE FORM)
staccato chatter.

paler wingtips

MALE
Length 28–34cm (11–13 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 65–76cm (26–30in) Length 37–42cm (14 1 ⁄2 –16 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 87–104cm (34–41in)

Family Falconidae Species Falco rusticolus Family Falconidae Species Falco cherrug
Gyr Falcon Saker
The biggest and most heavily built falcon, the Gyr A massive, powerful, broad-winged falcon, equal to a
Falcon may be dark brownish (juveniles), slaty grey, or male Gyr Falcon in size, and paler and browner than
almost pure white according to age and location: the a Peregrine (see p.143), the Saker has a pale buff head
grey birds breed in N Europe, while the white ones with only a thin dark moustache, and usually dark
visit mostly in late winter or spring from thigh feathers.The underwing is strongly two-toned.
Greenland.The outer wing has paler Juveniles are darker, blackish on the flanks, and dark
areas underneath and the forewing under the tail unlike a young Lanner.
is rather darker than the OCCURRENCE Rare in SE Europe, in hills,
trailing edge. forests, and semi-arid
OCCURRENCE Rare grassland. pale buff
vagrant in W Europe, and VOICE Loud, harsh, head
rare breeder in Iceland ringing chattering calls.
and N Norway.
VOICE Deep, hoarse, brownish upperparts
rattling chatter.
ADULT dark thigh
feathers
white body and
wings with
black spots

ADULT
(PALE FORM)

Length 53–63cm (21–25in) Wingspan 1.09–1.34m (3 1 ⁄2 –4 1 ⁄2ft) Length 47–55cm (18 1 ⁄2 –22in) Wingspan 1.05–1.29m (3 1 ⁄2 –4 1 ⁄4ft)
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