- Falco hypoleucos
Identification
33 - 43cm (13-17 in). A medium-sized, stocky-bodied Falcon with long wings.
- Blue-grey upperparts
- White to pale grey underparts
- Short grey tail finely-barred and with broad subterminal band
- Obscure moustachial
- Blackish primaries
- Orange-yellow cere and orbital ring
- Bright yellow legs
Females are slightly larger and heavier than males. Juveniles have slightly darker upperparts with brown feather fringes. They also have a more obvious moustachial.
Distribution
Australia: occurs over most of the interior of the continent in inland areas of all states. Absent from the coastal north, east, south and south-west corner and from Tasmania.
Occurs generally at very low densities.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Semi-desert, grasslands and farmland with occasional trees and riverine woodland.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on birds, especially parrots and pigeons. Takes also occasionally insects and small mammals, lizards and carrion.
Forages by low flight (around 3m above the ground), still-hunting from perch or quartering and high soaring.
Pairs sometimes hunt co-operatively.
Breeding
Breeding season from June to January. Often breeds only in years with above-average rainfall.
The nest is an old nest of another species made of large sticks, in the top of a tall tree or in a communication tower. Lays 1 to 4 eggs.
Movements
Movements obviously dictated by food supplies. Some pairs are resident, others party migratory or nomadic. Since 1980 several unconfirmed sightings of birds in New Guinea.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Photo by Wintibird
Birdsville Track, South Australia, Australia, October 2013
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1994. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334153
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Grey Falcon. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Grey_Falcon
