- Falco araeus
Falco araea
Identification
18 – 23 cm. Upperparts are reddish brown with black spots while the underparts are unspotted and buff. The head and rump are dark blue-grey. The tail is blue-grey with black bars. The bill is dark and the feet and cere are yellow. Females are similar to the males in appearance but are a little larger and paler. Immature birds have a brown, streaked head, spots on the breast and a buff tip to the tail.
Distribution
Seychelles. Seen mainly on Mahe and Silhouette, rarely also Praslin and La Digue. Resident.
Taxonomy
Monotypic.
The scientific name is also spelled araea.
Habitat
Woodland cultivated land with scattered trees, often perches on buildings.
Status
Classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List due to the small population (Birdlife International, 2008).
Behaviour
The diet includes small animals such as lizards, frogs, small birds and insects.
It breeds in cliffs, trees and buildings using sticks posed loosely for a nest. 2 – 3 eggs are laid.
References
BirdLife International (2008) Species factsheet: Falco araea. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21 May 2008.
