As already known, representatives of the falcon family are predators. The largest of them is the gyrfalcon. This bird (the photo reflects all the beauty) is very original.
Gyrfalcons are very hardy. But their population has been declining in recent years. And this happens mainly due to human intervention. People destroy nests of gyrfalcons, destroy birds for fun (make stuffed animals) or material gain. Both a few centuries ago, and in our times, they are used in falconry. An excellent helper is the gyrfalcon - a bird, the description of which is read below.
Description
Gyrfalcon is distinguished by its beautiful, variegated colors. The abdomen is whitish with a dark tint. This is an excellent disguise during the period of incubation of eggs. Gyrfalcon has large pointed wings. The bird (the photo clearly shows all its features) has a rather unusual color.
The paws are powerful, yellow. It is by color that adults can be distinguished from young animals. The former are more pronounced. The color of the bird consists of brown, gray and white shades.
Gyrfalcon is a large bird. With a body length of about 60 cm, the wingspan is up to135 cm. This is quite impressive. Moreover, females are much larger than males. The weight of an adult individual reaches 2 kg. But this does not prevent the gyrfalcon from gaining lightning speed after 2-3 wing strokes, which is important during the hunt. Gyrfalcon is a very hardy bird. It can chase its prey for about 1 km.
Outwardly, the gyrfalcon is very similar to the peregrine falcon, but the former has a longer tail and less visible spots under the eyes.
Habitat
Gyrfalcon is a nomadic bird. Prefers colder habitats. Most fly south in winter. But some members of this family are sedentary.
Gyrfalcons are common in Asia, Europe and North America. So, in Europe, the largest number of these birds was recorded in Iceland (about 2 hundred pairs).
In Russia, gyrfalcons are most widespread in the south of Yamal and Kamchatka.
The main habitats are river valleys, sea coasts, tundra. Gyrfalcon nests away from humans.
They migrate not only horizontally, but also vertically. So, the Central Asian gyrfalcon changes the alpine zone to the valley.
Food Gyrfalcon
As already noted, the gyrfalcon is a bird of prey. Small birds and animals serve as food for them: squirrels, hares, ground squirrels, ducks, owls and others. The daily requirement for food is 200 g. Gyrfalcons hunt both individually and in pairs, taking turns driving prey.
They look out for their prey from above. They hunt like all falcons: they overtake with lightning speed from above and dig in with their claws. Then they killbreaking the victim's neck with its beak.
The diet of gyrfalcons differs depending on the season. So, in the summer they hunt birds, grabbing them on the fly. In winter, such prey becomes less, so gyrfalcons begin to catch small animals. If such food is scarce, these predators are not averse to feasting on fish and amphibians.
Gyrfalcons have one peculiarity: they never hunt their little neighbors. Moreover, gyrfalcons do not allow other predators to do this, driving them out of their territory.
Reproduction
Puberty in gyrfalcons occurs at the age of two years. They choose a couple for life. The mating season begins in winter. The breeding season lasts a week. In April, with a frequency of 3 days, the female lays one egg at a time. Nests are rarely built. They prefer to occupy strangers or nest in the rocks under a canopy. The nest is about 1 m in diameter and about 50 cm high. It consists of dried grass, moss and feathers. Gyrfalcon nests try not to change. There are cases of these birds nesting in one place for many decades.
Raising offspring
As a rule, the female lays 3-4 eggs. Chicks appear in about a month. Family responsibilities for gyrfalcons are strictly divided. After the appearance of offspring, the female looks after the chicks, warming them, and the male gets food. Moreover, before bringing prey, he plucks it away from the nest. More experienced females may sometimes leave nests and take part in the hunt.
The survival rate of gyrfalcon offspring directly depends on the availability of food. An important factor is that the birth of chicks should coincide with the addition of their victims (for example, whites) to the family. After all, the male is simply not able to bring large prey to the nest. And little gyrfalcons can starve to death.
Therefore, the number of offspring of these birds varies depending on the season.
At the age of 1.5 months, gyrfalcon chicks begin to fly and try to hunt themselves. But they do not fly far from the nest. Grown up chicks begin independent life in autumn.
Interesting information
Gyrfalcon is a bird of the tundra. Since ancient times, gyrfalcons have been valued as a commodity. They were specially caught and resold to participate in falconry. The training of the birds took about 2 weeks. Specially trained birds could make up to 70 prey sorties per day. Gyrfalcons have been used for hunting for about 10 years. Because of their endurance, they were highly valued. They were even traded for horses. In the 17-18 centuries, these birds were specially caught in Russia for further sale to the East.
Gyrfalcon is a rare bird. Today, the number of gyrfalcons is rapidly declining. This is due to the reduction of natural food for these predators. Gyrfalcons also suffer from poachers. So, abroad, the approximate cost of these birds is 30 thousand dollars.
In order to preserve this species of birds of prey, hunting for them is prohibited, especially in nature reserves. In addition, America, Japan and Russia signed an agreement on the conservation of these birds.
