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
Frank's web site of his nature photography
www.frankstark.com
Other local bird photographs