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6

Grey Falcon

(Falco hypoleucos)
Alternate name(s): "Blue Hawk", "Smoke Hawk"
Aboriginal name(s): "boorga" (WA)

Size: 30-45 cm; wing span 85-95 cm
Weight: 335-420 g (male), 485-625 g (female)

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Grey Falcon at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Grey Falcon; note the yellow feet, plain-grey front and yellow cere (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Moree, NSW, September 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Grey Falcon; note the striation down the front and the still greyish-yellow cere
(photo courtesy of J. Winterbottom)
[Near Narromine, NSW, May 2018]

Frontal view of a juvenile Grey Falcon studying the observer suspiciously (photo courtesy of J. Winterbottom)
[Near Narromine, NSW, May 2018]

Frontal view of a juvenile Grey Falcon studying the observer suspiciously (photo courtesy of J. Winterbottom)
[Near Narromine, NSW, May 2018]

Immature Grey Falcon in-flight, with a clear view of its barred underwing pattern (photo courtesy of J. Winterbottom)
[Near Narromine, NSW, May 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: July - Oct Eggs: 2 - 3 Incubation period: ca. 35 days Fledging age: 49 - 52 days

The timing of the breeding season depends on geographic latitude; the period listed in the table above applies to the southern part of the Australian continent. In the tropical North Grey Falcons breed from April to June.

Nest building: N/A Incubation: Female Dependent care: Female & male

The female incubates the eggs and also stays in the nest with the chicks until they are strong enough to be left alone. Until then, female and chicks depend entirely on the male to provide them with food.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket (re-used) Material: Sticks Height above ground: <10? m

Nest building: N/A Incubation: Female Dependent care: Female & male

Black Falcons do not build their own nests. They either re-use or take over nests of other species - either by other raptors or those of corvids (ravens or crows).

(Re-used) Grey Falcon nest in a telecommunications tower (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Optalton, QLD, June 2021]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 51 x 39 mm Colour: Creamy, with brown to chestnut speckles all over Shape: Ellipsoidal

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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