Bird Sightings: Gyr Falcon

Gyr Falcon (Gyr/Saker cross)

Falco rusticolus

Gaelic: Gearr-sheabhag

Photography © Frank Stark
Leurbost - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
November 2004

"It was not difficult getting the photograph as the bird was reluctant to fly....As it was, I thought it was a Buzzard I was going to rescue. At least that is what the person who owned the shed said it was...I watched it catching a redwing the following day , absolutely lethal!

"...obviously a falconers bird...I emailed a photograph to a falconry centre on Skye and it was someone there who told me it was a Gyr/Saker cross."

Frank Stark

 

On the 21st May 2007 Terry Fountain reported that sadly a gyr corpse had been found on St Kilda, probably a Hybrid, and it had been a large bird when alive. Frank was curious as to if the bird was the one he had photographed above...

Terry wrote on seeing Frank's photograph of the gyr falcon:
"My initial reaction is, a captive saker ( bells and jesses). This bird also has the typical yellow legs and feet, unlike the Kilda falcon. ...The Kilda bird is less uniform in the wing area than this one. Brian Rabbitts has requested the corpse be sent to him for more checks."

 

Gyr Falcon Notes

The gyr falcon (Falco rusticolus) is the largest of the falcons. Being a bird of tundra and mountains it breeds in the isolated arctic and sub-arctic regions.

A gyr falcon has long broad wings, long stout toes, a long square tail, and massive pectoral muscles which make it a very strong and powerful hunting bird.

The gyr falcon eats birds and mammals. Usually it's hunting flight is horizontal, prey killed on the ground. Bird prey can be as large as a goose, and include gulls, crows or even other raptors. Mammals can be the 3x the weight of the gyr falcon itself.

Adult: Grey morph	Adult White morph	Adult Dark morph
Grey above Below white with dark streaks Flight feathers distinctly paler than wing linings Moustache mark (narrow) Pale "eyebrow" Grey tail has thin white bands The immature bird similar to the adult, but has browner plumage	White plumage Back and wings have black barring White tail The immature bird similar to the adult, but darker	Dark brown above Underparts are heavily streaked Flight feathers are paler than underwing Dark tail The immature bird similar to the adult

 

	Length	Wingspan	Weight (ranges from hunting to fat weight)
Males	48 - 61cm 19 - 24 inches	110 - 130 cm 43 - 51 inches	850 -1300g
Females	51 - 65cm 20 to 26 inches	124 - 160cm 49 - 64 inches	1400 - 2000g

The only predator of gyrfalcons are Golden Eagles.

Pronounciation: the 'g' is pronounced as "j" in "jar"

The male gyrfalcon is sometimes called a gyrkin.

Traditionally the Gyr falcon was the most valuable hunting bird. It was considered a great honour to hunt with it, and only the very wealthy, monarchs or renowned military commanders did so.

 

Our Gyr Falcon photographs

Gyr /Saker Falcon Hybrid	Gyr Falcon

 

Frank's web site of his nature photography
www.frankstark.com

Other local bird photographs

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