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Grey Falcon
(Falco hypoleucos)
: "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)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Grey Falcons are small raptors. Their front (throat, breast, belly,
vent) is almost white, while the back (mantle, upperwings, tail) is
lightly streaked light-grey, with dark-grey wingtips. The thighs
are covered by white feathers. The underwings and undertail are
lightly barred light-grey. Eye-rings, cere, legs and feet are bright
yellow. The irises are dark, the beak is light-grey with a darker
grey tip. Contrary to most other species of falcons, Grey Falcons do not have a
conspicuous "tear drop" pattern under their eyes.
Juvenile
Grey Falcons are somewhat darker than
adults,
with more streaking on the breast.
"Raptors"
(or "birds of prey"), most prominently, but also some species of
waders, show a pronounced
"dimorphism", i.e.
a difference between male and female birds - not just in the appearance
of the plumage, but in
other, important properties, such as size or strength.
Here we
explain why.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Grey
Falcon at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Grey Falcon is available
HERE
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NB:
Reports on ebird of birds submitted by birdwatchers from
the Australian Outback tend to be clustered along roads
and public areas such as camp grounds; in such cases their
distribution is not a good representation of the overall
distribution of the species.
Grey Falcons are endemic to Australia.
The core range of Grey Falcons during their breeding season is
very restricted, namely just a few locations near the border
of QLD, NSW and SA: Along the Paroo River, around Innamincka
and on the border of the NT and SA, plus one more patch in
the north-western NT.
Outside the breeding season Grey Falcons are occasionally found
almost all over the interior of the continent, but mostly in the
Red Centre. Areas where they
are NOT found are: the South-West corner of WA, around the Gulf
of Carpentaria, Cape York peninsula, the East coast South of the
tropic of Capricorn, in Tasmania and in the south-western corner
of VIC.
Grey Falcons specialise in hunting in arid environments, e.g.
in desert and
semi-desert scrub,
often from perches in River Red Gums along dry
watercourses.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
C. Hayne reports observing a Grey Falcon in flight over Midkin
Nature Reserve, 15 km North-West of Moree, NSW, in March 2013.
Next a bird was seen in a few bimble box eucalypt trees, on a cotton
farm, 5 km North of Moree, in September 2013.
A. Lines reports spotting Grey Falcons occasionally in the area of
Ashley, Biniguy, Moree and Pallamallawa, NSW.
H. Mouritsen reports finding a Grey Falcon along the Edith Creek
Fall Road near Pine Creek, NT, in October 2015.
J. Winterbottom reports spotting a Grey Falcon along the Eumungerie
to Narromine Road, NSW, in May 2018.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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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]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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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]
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Breeding information |
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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.
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"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]
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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.