From Opus

Photo by kegressy
Ontario, Canada, March 2005

Falco sparverius

[edit] Identification

9-12" (23-30 cm). W. 21" (53 cm)
A jay-sized falcon, often seen hovering. Recognizable in all plumages by rusty tail and back.
Adult male has slate-blue wings but black-spotted rusty mantle and scapulars, which dominate the view from the back when perched.
Female has rusty wings and back, narrow bands on tail.
Both sexes have 2 black stripes on face.

[edit] Variation

In the Caribbean, both very dark and very pale forms occur.

[edit] Distribution

North America: widespread and very common, found from Alaska and Canada east to Nova Scotia and south to Mexico.
Central America and South America: found in most appropriate habitats south to Patagonia.
Caribbean: found almost everywhere except where it is or recently has been persecuted.

Northern populations are migratory, moving as far south as Panama.

Juvenile
Photo by Higheagle
North California, June 2009

[edit] Taxonomy

About 16 races are recognised:

• nominate race occurs in much of North America
• paulus in the south-eastern United States
• peninsularis in Baja California and western Mexico
• tropicalis in southern Mexico, Guatemala and northern Honduras
• nicaraguensis in north-west Honduras and Nicaragua
• ochraceus in eastern Colombia and north-west Venezuela
• isabellinus in the Guianas and east Venezuela
• aequatorialis in north-west Colombia and north Ecuador
• peruvianus in south-west Ecuador, Peru and north Chile
• cinnamominus from south-east Peru to Tierra del Fuego
• fernandensis on Masatierra and Juan Fernandez Islands
• cearae in southern Brazil.
• sparverioides occurs in the southern Bahamas and Cuba
• dominicensis in Hispaniola
• caribaearum in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles
• brevipennis in the Dutch Antilles.

Photo by matphotocards
New Jersey, February 2008

[edit] Habitat

Open forest and woodland, semi-desert, plains, grassland and cultivated land with scattered trees. In some areas a common urban bird.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Vocalisation

Shrill killy-killy-killy

[edit] External Links

• Arthur Grosset's Birds