Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus
Conservation Status
Least ConcernAves · Falconiformes · Falconidae
About
The gyrfalcon, also abbreviated as gyr, is a bird of prey in the genus Falco and the largest species of the family Falconidae. A high-latitude species, the gyrfalcon breeds on the Arctic coasts and tundra, the islands of northern North America and Siberia, where it is mainly a resident species. Some gyrfalcons disperse more widely after the breeding season or in winter, and individual vagrancy can take birds for long distances. Its plumage varies with location, with birds being coloured from all-white to dark brown. These colour variations are called morphs. Like other falcons, it shows sexual dimorphism, with the female much larger than the male.
Fun Fact
The gyrfalcon ( or ) (Falco rusticolus), also abbreviated as gyr, is a bird of prey in the genus Falco (falcons and kestrels) and the largest species of the family Falconidae.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Found in Little Box Elder Cave (Converse County, Wyoming), Dark Canyon Cave (Eddy County, New Mexico), and McKittrick, California were initially described as Falco swarthi ("Swarth falcon" or more properly "Swarth's gyrfalcon") on account of their distinct size.
Diet
Feeds only on birds and mammals, the latter of which it takes more regularly than many other Falco species.
Lifespan
20 years
Threats
- Habitat Change
- Human Disturbance