Gyrfalcon

Parents 2009

About Gyrfalcons

Gyrfalcons (juhr-fall-kons) are the most northerly of the falcons, making their home in Arctic Europe, Asia, North America and Greenland. Although some migrate in the coldest winter months, they usually go no further south than the northern USA or central Russia. They prefer open country, and the tundra is ideal.

Gyrfalcons were known to Arab falconers before world war II, but since these birds did not migrate far south, they were simply not easy to come by. In North America only a few birds and mostly the juveniles of the gray southern population show up regularly on their winter migration in agricultural areas of Canada and the northern USA. The majority of gyrfalcons winter in Arctic regions and follow the migration of ptarmigans. It is an awesome sight and sound when a gyr attacks a flock of several hundred migrating ptarmigans and the whole side of a mountain explodes in a white cloud as I saw it on the Alaska border in northern B.C. Gyrfalcons work these flocks, just the way that merlines herd a swarm of starlings or blackbirds, to find a weak individual. During the breeding season gyrs prey mostly on ptarmigans, lemmings, ground squirrels, artic hares and seabirds. Some of them get specialized more or less on one single prey species. I have found young gyrs in a starving condition in northern B.C. shortly after ground squirrels went to hibernate. They simply had a hard time to adjust to different prey in a few days.

The largest falcon in the world, the Gyrfalcon breeds in arctic and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere. It preys mostly on large birds, pursuing them in breathtakingly fast and powerful flight.

Once known in Europe as jer-falcons, gerfalcons, Greenland falcons or Iceland falcons, these "raptors" are powerful and agile hunters. Gyrfalcons seldom use the diving tactic of peregrine falcons to catch their prey - they fly at such great speeds that they simply overtake other birds in full flight (their favorite is the Arctic ptarmigan), and snatch them out of the sky!

The gyrfalcon is typically found in northern latitudes away from the boreal forest. Although some individuals have been recorded nesting in trees, the majority of individuals of this species nest in the arctic tundra. Nesting habitat is usually among tall cliffs while the and foraging areas are more diverse. Foraging areas may include coastal areas and beaches that are used heavily by waterfowl, stooping off cliffs at unsuspecting prey such as small birds beneath them, or on the open tundra where tail chases on ptarmigan and larger mammals is common.

Such hunting ability made them highly prized by falconers. Gyrfalcons were the falcons of kings - lesser nobles might have peregrine falcons, while servants made do with mere kestrals.

When the Norse first colonized Greenland, gyrfalcons were a valuable "export" and were in great demand by traders who dared to venture out from medieval Europe.

Habitat fragmentation is currently not a threat to this species, due mainly to the short growing season and climate of the area. Since cliff faces are not disturbed and the tundra is not highly altered nor farmed, habitat for this species seems to be stable.

Winter can force this species to move regionally to feed. While in more southern climates, they prefer agricultural fields which remind them of their northern breeding grounds, typically perching low to the ground on fence posts.

The Gyrfalcon is a very polymorphic species, so its plumage varies greatly. The archetypal morphs are called "white", "silver", "brown", and "black", though they can be coloured on a spectrum that begins with all-white and ends with very dark. The brown form of the Gyrfalcon is distinguished from the Peregrine by the cream streaking on the nape and crown and by the absence of a well-defined malar stripe and cap. The black morph has its underside strongly spotted black, rather than finely barred as in the Peregrine. White form Gyrfalcons are unmistakable, as they are the only predominantly white falcons.

The Gyrfalcon has long associated with humans, who have found them useful primarily for and the art of falconry. It is today the official bird of Canada's Northwest Territories. The white falcon in the crest of the Icelandic Republic's coat of arms is a variety of Gyrfalcon.

Typically, nests of Gyrfalcons are in a depression on a protected ledge on a cliff face. Sometimes they will use an abandoned stick nest of another bird or even man-made structures. Gyrfalcons lay 3 - 5 eggs that are incubated about 34 - 36 days. Young falcons leave the nest 6 1/2 - 7 1/2 weeks after hatching. These falcons become sexually mature at 2 - 3 years old.

The Gyrfalcon is the largest true falcon in the world. Gyrfalcons have a variety of plumage colors that range from white to almost black. Gyrfalcons have been highly regarded by falconers throughout falconry’s history. In the Middle Ages, only a king could hunt with a Gyrfalcon. In falconry, the male Gyrfalcon is called a jerkin. Gyrfalcons that nest in the arctic regions frequently begin breeding and laying eggs when the temperature is still below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Our Gyrs

Our breeding pairs are mainly selected by its color, size and the skills. The Youngs are breeded naturally by its parents. Nowdays we fully specialize in breeding White Gyrfalcons, that came from Canada, United States, England and rest of Europe.

 

 

Young gyrfalcons