Gyrfalcon or Gerfalcon
Brown morph
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae Genus: Falco Subgenus: (Hierofalco) Species: F. rusticolus
Binomial name
Falco rusticolus Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
Falco candicans Gmelin, 1788 Falco islandus Brünnich, 1764 Falco obsoletus Gmelin, 1788 Falco rusticolus candicans Gmelin, 1788 Falco rusticolus grebnitzkii (Severtzov, 1885) Falco rusticolus intermedius Gloger, 1834 Falco rusticolus islandus Brünnich, 1764 (but see text) Falco rusticolus obsoletus Gmelin, 1788 Falco rusticolus rusticolus Linnaeus, 1758 Falco swarthi L.H. Miller, 1927 Hierofalco grebnitzkii Severtzov, 1885) Hierofalco islandus (Brünnich, 1764) Hierofalco rusticolus (Linnaeus, 1758) Hierofalco rusticolus candicans (Gmelin, 1788)

The Gyrfalcon IPA: /ˈdʒɜrˌfɔlkən/ or IPA: /ˈdʒɜrˌfælkən/ (Falco rusticolus), also spelled Gyr Falcon, sometimes Gerfalcon, is the largest of all falcon species. The Gyrfalcon breeds on Arctic coasts and islands of North America, Europe and Asia. It is mainly resident, but some Gyrfalcons disperse more widely after the breeding season, or in winter^[1]. Image File history File links Falco_rusticolus. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ... Families Accipitridae Pandionidae Falconidae Sagittariidae The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. ... Genera Daptrius Phalcoboenus Polyborus Milvago Herpetotheres Micrastur Spiziapteryx Polihierax Microhierax Falco The family Falconidae includes about 60 species of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. ... For other uses, see Falcon (disambiguation). ... Latin name redirects here. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 13, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Year 1758 (MDCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... In scientific nomenclature, synonyms are different scientific names used for a single taxon. ... Johann Friedrich Gmelin (August 8, 1748 - November 1, 1804) was a German naturalist and botanist. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Morten Thrane Brunnich. ... 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Nikolai Alekseevich Severtzov (1827 - February 8, 1885) was a Russian explorer and naturalist. ... Year 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Constantin Wilhelm Lambert Gloger (1803 - 1863) was a German zoologist and ornithologist. ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Morten Thrane Brunnich. ... 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Falcon (disambiguation). ... For the ships, see USS Arctic, SS Arctic, MV Arctic The red line indicates the 10°C isotherm in July, sometimes used to define the Arctic region border Artificially coloured topographical map of the Arctic region The Arctic is the region around the Earths North Pole, opposite the Antarctic... Flock of Barnacle Geese during autumn migration Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of birds. ...

The bird's common name comes from French gerfaucon, and in mediaeval Latin is rendered as gyrofalco. The first part of the word may come from Old High German gîr (cf. modern German Geier), "vulture", referring to its size compared to other falcons, or the Latin gȳrus ("circle", "curved path") from the species' circling as it searches for prey, unlike the other falcons in its range^[2]. The male gyrfalcon is called a gyrkin in falconry. Medieval Latin refers to the Latin used in the Middle Ages, after the fall of the Roman empire but before the rise of vernacular languages in the Renaissance. ... The (Late Old High) German speaking area of the Holy Roman Empire around 950. ... Orders Falconiformes (Fam. ... For other uses, see Falcon (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... Flying a Saker Falcon A Goshawk A Hobby Falconry or hawking is an art or sport which involves the use of trained raptors (birds of prey) to hunt or pursue game for humans. ...

Its scientific name is composed of the Latin terms for a falcon, Falco, and for someone who lives in the countryside, rusticolus. In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ...

Description

This species is a very large falcon, about the same size as the largest buteos. Males are 48 to 61 cm (19 to 24 in) long, weigh 805 to 1350 g (1.8 to 3 lbs) and have a wingspan from 110 to 130 cm (43 to 51 in). Females are rather bulkier and larger at 51 to 65 cm (20 to 26 in) long, a weight of 1180 to 2100 g (2.6 to 4.6 lbs) and have a wingspan ranging from 124 to 160 cm (49 to 64 in). Gyrfalcons are somewhat intermediate between a large Peregrine Falcon and a hawk in general structure; they are unmistakably falcons with pointed wings, but are stockier, broader-winged and longer-tailed than the Peregrine. A buzzard is a type of bird of prey, in any of several different but related senses: A medium-sized wide-ranging raptor with a robust body and broad wings. ... Binomial name Tunstall, 1771 Global range Yellow: Breeding summer visitor Green: Breeding resident Blue: Winter visitor Light blue: Passage visitor Subspecies 17-19, see text Synonyms Falco atriceps Hume Falco kreyenborgi Kleinschmidt, 1929 Falco pelegrinoides madens Ripley & Watson, 1963 Rhynchodon peregrinus (Tunstall, 1771) and see text The Peregrine Falcon (Falco... For other uses, see Hawk (disambiguation). ...

Plumage is very variable in this highly polymorphic species: the archetypal morphs are called "white", "silver", "brown" and "black" though coloration spans a continuous spectrum from nearly all-white birds to very dark ones. 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, not finely barred as in the Peregrine. White form Gyrfalcons are unmistakable, as they are the only predominantly white falcons. Silver birds resemble a light, grey Lanner Falcon of huge size. In general, polymorphism describes multiple possible states for a single property (it is said to be polymorphic). ... Binomial name Falco biarmicus Temminck, 1825 The Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) is a large bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. ...

There is no difference in coloration between between males and females; juveniles are darker and browner than corresponding adults on average.

Systematics and evolution

A hybrid white gyrfalcon × saker falcon.

The Gyrfalcon is a member of the close-knit hierofalcon complex. In this group, there is ample evidence for rampant hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting which confounds analyses of DNA sequence data to a massive extent; molecular studies with small sample sizes can simply not be expected to yield reliable conclusions in the entire hierofalcon group. The radiation of the entire living diversity of hierofalcons seems to have taken place in the Eemian interglacial at the start of the Late Pleistocene, a mere 130,000-115,000 years ago; the Gyrfalcon seems to represents lineages that expanded into the Holarctic and adapted to local conditions, whereas the inland populations further south, towards northeastern Africa where the radiation probably originated, evolved into the Saker Falcon. Indeed, gyrfalcons hybridize not infrequently with Sakers in the Altay Mountains, and this gene flow seems to be the origin of the "Altai Falcon".^[3] Download high resolution version (850x567, 130 KB)Caption: U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. ... Download high resolution version (850x567, 130 KB)Caption: U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. ... This article is about a biological term. ... Binomial name Falco cherrug Gray, 1834 The Saker Falcon, (Falco cherrug), is a large bird of prey. ... Species Falco biarmicus Falco cherrug Falco jugger Falco rusticolus Synonyms Jerafalco Kaup, 1850 (unjustified emendation) Falco hierofalco (see text) The hierofalcons (literally, hawk-falcons) are four closely related species of falcon which make up the subgenus Hierofalco: Lanner Falcon, Falco biarmicus Laggar Falcon, Falco jugger Saker Falcon, Falco cherrug Gyrfalcon... This article is about a biological term. ... part of a DNA sequence A DNA sequence (sometimes genetic sequence) is a succession of letters representing the primary structure of a real or hypothetical DNA molecule or strand, The possible letters are A, C, G, and T, representing the four nucleotide subunits of a DNA strand (adenine, cytosine, guanine... The sample size of a statistical sample is the number of repeated measurements that constitute it. ... Image:Darwins large finches. ... Two ice core temperature records; the Eemian is at a depth of about 1500-1800 meters in the lower graph The Eemian interglacial era (known as the Sangamon interglacial in North America, the Ipswichian interglacial in the UK, and the Riss-Würm interglacial in the Alps) is the second... Late Pleistocene (also known as Upper Pleistocene or the Tarantian) is a stage of the Pleistocene Epoch. ... The Holarctic is a term used by zoologists to define the ecozone covering much of Eurasia and North America, which have often been connected by the Bering land bridge. ... The eye is an adaptation. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Binomial name Falco cherrug Gray, 1834 The Saker Falcon, (Falco cherrug), is a large bird of prey. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... In population genetics, gene flow (also known as gene migration) is the transfer of alleles of genes from one population to another. ...

Subspecies

There is some correlation between locality and the frequency of color morphs. Greenland Gyrfalcons are lightest, with white plumage flecked with grey on the back and wings being most common. Other subpopulations have varying amounts of the darker morphs: the Icelandic birds tend towards pale, and Eurasian ones are considerably darker and not usually have white birds present. Natural separation into regional subspecies is prevented by Gyrfalcons' habit of flying long distances exchanging alleles between subpopulations; thus, the allele distributions for the color polymorphism form clines and in darker birds^[4] of unknown origin, theoretically any allele combination might be present. For example, a mating of a pair of captive Gyrfalcons is documented to have produced a clutch of 4 young: one white, one silver, one brown, one black. Positive linear correlations between 1000 pairs of numbers. ... Map of populations by country The largest religious gathering on Earth. ... For other uses, see Eurasia (disambiguation). ... An allele (pronounced , ) (from the Greek αλληλος, meaning each other) is one member of a pair or series of different forms of a gene. ... Population genetics is the study of the allele frequency distribution and change under the influence of the four evolutionary forces: natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow. ... For other uses, see Clutch (disambiguation). ...

In general, geographic variation follows Bergmann's Rule for size and the demands of crypsis for plumage coloration. Several subspecies have been named according to perceived differences between populations^[5] but none of these are consistent and thus no living subspecies are accepted today. The large size of a polar bear allows it to radiate less heat in a cold climate. ... Crypsis is a phenomena where an organisms appearance allows it to blend well into its environment. ... This article is about the zoological term. ...

Perhaps the Icelandic population described as Falco rusticolus islandus is the most distinct. The predominantly white Arctic forms are parapatric and seamlessly grade into the subarctic populations, whereas the birds of Iceland have presumably less gene flow with their neighbors and indeed show less variation in plumage colors and often look quite similar to a large, washed-out Peregrine Falcon (though their habitus is different). Comprehensive phylogeographic studies are needed to determine the proper status of the Icelandic population however.^[6] Parapatry is a type of speciation where the ranges of two species abut but do not overlap. ... The subarctic is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic and covering much of Canada and Siberia, the north of Scandinavia, northern Mongolia and the Chinese province of Heilongjiang. ... In population genetics, gene flow (also known as gene migration) is the transfer of alleles of genes from one population to another. ... Look up Habitus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Phylogeography is the study of the processes controlling the geographic distributions of lineages by constructing the genealogies of populations and genes. ...

There was, however, a paleosubspecies Falco rusticolus swarthi during the Late Pleistocene (125,000 - 13,000 years ago). Fossils found in Little Box Elder Cave (Converse County, Wyoming), Dark Canyon Cave (Eddy County, New Mexico) and McKittrick, California were initially described as Falco swarthi ("Swarth Falcon" or more properly Swarth's Gyrfalcon) on account of their distinct size. They have meanwhile proven to be largely inseparable from those of living gyrfalcons, except for being somewhat larger.^[7] A chronospecies is a species which changes physically, morphologically, genetically, and/or behaviorally over time on an evolutionary scale such that the originating species and the species it becomes could not be classified as the same species had they existed at the same point in time. ... Late Pleistocene (also known as Upper Pleistocene or the Tarantian) is a stage of the Pleistocene Epoch. ... Converse County is a county located in the state of Wyoming. ... Eddy County is a county located in the state of New Mexico. ... McKittrick is a census-designated place located in Kern County, California. ...

Swarth's Gyrfalcon was on the upper end of the present Gyrfalcon's size range, strong females even surpassing it (Miller 1935). It seems to have had some adaptations to the temperate semiarid climate that predominated in its range during the last ice age. Ecologically more similar to the Siberian populations of today (which are generally small birds however) or the Prairie Falcon, this population of temperate steppe habitat must have preyed on landbirds and mammals rather than the water- and seabirds which make up much of American gyrfalcon's diet today. The steppe of Western Kazakhstan in early spring In physical geography, steppe (from Slavic step) is a plain without trees (apart from those near rivers and lakes); it is similar to a prairie, although a prairie is generally reckoned as being dominated by tall grasses, while short grasses are said... This article or section should be merged with Wisconsinan glaciation The Wisconsin (in North America), Weichsel (in Scandinavia), Devensian (in the British Isles) or Würm glaciation (in the Alps) is the most recent period of the Ice Age, and ended some 10,000 Before Present (BP). ... Binomial name Schlegel, 1850 (Falco mexicanus) is a medium-sized falcon of western North America. ... This article is about the ecological zone type. ...

Ecology

The Gyrfalcon is a bird of tundra and mountains, with cliffs or a few patches of trees. It feeds only on birds and mammals. Like other hierofalcons, it usually hunts in a horizontal pursuit, rather than the Peregrine's speedy stoop from a height. Most prey is killed on the ground, whether they are captured there or, if the victim is a flying bird, forced to the ground. The diet is to some extent opportunistic, but a majority of breeding birds mostly rely on Lagopus grouse. Avian prey can range in size from redpolls to geese and can include gulls, corvids, smaller passerines, waders and other raptors (up to the size of Buteos). Mammalian prey can range in size from shrews to marmots (sometimes 3 times heavier than the assaulting falcon), and often includes include lemmings, voles, ground squirrels and hares. They only rarely eat carrion. For other uses, see Tundra (disambiguation). ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ... A stoop is a steep dive toward prey by a raptor. ... Species Lagopus is a small genus of birds in the grouse family. ... Genera Tetrao Lagopus Falcipennis Centrocercus Bonasa Dendrapagus Tympanuchus Grouse are from the order Galliformes which inhabit temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere. ... Species Carduelis flammea Carduelis cabaret Carduelis hornemanni The Redpolls are a group of small passerine birds in the finch family Fringillidae which have characteristic red markings on their heads. ... Geese redirects here. ... “Seagull” redirects here. ... Genera Platylophus Gymnorhinus Cyanocitta Aphelocoma Cyanocorax Garrulus Cissa Perisoreus Urocissa Cyanopica Dendrocitta Crypsirina Pica Zavattariornis Podoces Nucifraga Pyrrhocorax Ptilostomus Corvus The crow family (Corvidae) has members that are above average in size for the bird order Passeriformes; in fact, it includes several that are among the largest. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... Families Scolopacidae Rostratulidae Jacanidae Thinocoridae Pedionomidae Burhinidae Chionididae Pluvianellidae Ibidorhynchidae Recurvirostridae Haematopodidae Charadriidae Dunlin (Calidris alpina). ... Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... It has been suggested that Echolocating shrew be merged into this article or section. ... Species See text. ... This article is about the rodent. ... For other uses, see Vole (disambiguation). ... Genera Ammospermophilus Spermophilus Cynomys Marmota Tamias Sciurotamias The ground squirrels are all members of the Sciuridae most closely related to the genus Marmota and included in the tribe Marmotini. ... For other uses, see Hare (disambiguation). ... An American Black Vulture feeding on squirrel carrion For other uses, see Carrion (disambiguation). ...

Reproduction and life history

A Gyrfalcon chick hatched in captivity

The Gyrfalcon almost invariably nests on cliff faces. Sometimes, the breeding pair will build their own nests, but most nests are the abandoned nests of other birds, particularly Golden Eagles and Common Ravens. The clutch can range from 1 to 5 eggs, but is usually 2 to 4. The average size of an egg is 58.46 x 45 mm (2.31 x 1.8 in) and the average weight is 62 g (2.2 oz). The incubation period averages 35 days, until the 52 g (1.8 oz) chicks hatch. The nestlings are brooded usually for 10 to 15 days and leave the nest shortly thereafter. At 4 to 6 weeks of age, the immatures become independent of their parents, though they may associate with their siblings through the following winter. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 80 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Gyrfalcon Metadata This file contains additional... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 80 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Gyrfalcon Metadata This file contains additional... For other uses, see Golden Eagle (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 Common Raven range Subspecies The Common Raven (Corvus corax), also known as the Northern Raven, is a large all-black passerine bird in the crow family, with iridescent feathers. ...

The only natural predator of gyrfalcons are Golden Eagles and even they rarely engage with these formidable falcons. Gyrfalcons have been recorded as aggressively harassing animals that come near their nests, although Common Ravens are the only predators known to successful pick off Gyrfalcon eggs and hatchlings. Even Brown Bears may be dive-bombed, much to their annoyance. Humans, whether accidentally (automobile collisions or poisoning of carrion to kill mammalian scavengers) or intentionally (through hunting), are the leading cause of death for Gyrfalcons. Most Gyrfalcons that make it to adulthood live to about 9 to 12 years of age. For other uses, see Golden Eagle (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 Common Raven range Subspecies The Common Raven (Corvus corax), also known as the Northern Raven, is a large all-black passerine bird in the crow family, with iridescent feathers. ... Bears are big and have big ass, thats why bears are hot, and thats why cats are not. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ...

Relationship with humans

The Gyrfalcon is Iceland's staðfugl (national bird), as well as the official bird of Canada's Northwest Territories. This is a list of official national birds: Argentina - rufous hornero Australia - emu Austria - barn swallow Barbados - brown pelican Belgium - kestrel Brazil - rufous-bellied thrush, sabiá-laranjeira Canada - common loon Cuba - Cuban trogon, tocororo Denmark - mute swan Dominica - Sisserou parrot Estonia - barn swallow Finland - whooper swan France - rooster Germany - white... This is a list of national birds, most official, but some unofficial: Angola - Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus [1] Anguilla - Zenaida Dove, Zenaida Aurita (Locally known as Turtle Dove) Antigua and Barbuda - Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens [2] Argentina - Rufous Hornero, Furnarius rufus [3] Australia - Emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae (unofficial [4]) Austria - Barn... For the former United States territory, see Northwest Territory. ...

In medieval times, the Gyrfalcon was considered the king's bird. Due to its rarity and the difficulties involved in obtaining it, in falconry the gyrfalcon was generally reserved for kings and nobles. Very seldom was a man of lesser rank seen with a Gyrfalcon on his fist.^{[citation needed]} Louis XIV, king of France and Navarre (Painting by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701). ... Flying a Saker Falcon A Goshawk A Hobby Falconry or hawking is an art or sport which involves the use of trained raptors (birds of prey) to hunt or pursue game for humans. ...

Gyrfalcons are very expensive to buy, and thus owners and breeders may keep them secret to avoid theft. They tend to fly long distances, and falconers may fit a radio-tracker to aid recovery.^{[citation needed]}

Wild Gyrfalcons are not much exposed to disease, and as a result have weak immune systems. As a result, many gyrfalcons taken from the wild quickly die of disease. Several generations of captive breeding from the survivors causes selection for a stronger immune system and thus better resistance to disease. A scanning electron microscope image of a single neutrophil (yellow), engulfing anthrax bacteria (orange). ...

Gyrfalcons and the fall of the Liao Dynasty

In the 12th century AD the Jurchen tribes rebelled against the Chinese Liao Dynasty which was set up by Khitan people. The primary cause was that the Khitan nobles extorted a big tax of Gyrfalcons (which are called Hǎidōngqīng (海东青) in Chinese), as swan hunting was highly fashionable among the nobility. Especially under the last Liao Emperor Tiānzuòdì, tax collectors were even entitled to use force to procure the demanded quantity of gyrfalcons. The rebellion caught on, and the Jurchen under chieftain Wányán Āgǔdǎ annihilated the Liao empire in 1125, establishing the Jīn Dynasty in its stead.^[8] The Jurchens (Chinese: 女真, pinyin: nǚzhēn) were a Tungusic people who inhabited parts of Manchuria and northern Korea until the seventeenth century, when they became the Manchus. ... Look up rebellion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Liao Dynasty (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: Liáo Cháo), 907-1125, also known as the Khitan Empire, was an empire in northern China that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper. ... The Khitan (or Khitai, Chinese: ; pinyin: Qìdān) were an ethnic group which dominated much of Manchuria in the 11th century and has been classified by Chinese historians as one of the Eastern proto-Mongolic ethnic groups Donghu (東胡族 dōng hú zú). They established the Liao Dynasty in 907... Look up Noble in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Noble can refer to: Nobility, a hereditary caste Nobel Prize, awarded to people who have made outstanding contributions to society Noble gas, chemical elements in group 18 (old-style Group 0) of the periodic table Noble metal, metals that are resistant to... “Taxes” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Swan (disambiguation). ... Wanyan Aguda (完颜阿骨打; Han name 完颜旻) (1068-1123, r. ... Events May 23 - Lothair of Saxony becomes Holy Roman Emperor on the death of Henry V. War ends between Toulouse and Provence. ... The JÄ«n Dynasty (Jurchen: Anchu; Chinese: 金朝; Pinyin: ; 1115-1234), also known as the Jurchen dynasty, was founded by the Wanyan (完顏 Wányán) clan of the Jurchen, the ancestors of the Manchus who established the Qing Dynasty some 500 years later. ...

Images

Painting of a Greenland white morph (center), an entirely intermediate bird (lower left) and black-morph birds (back) Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x1187, 83 KB) Falco rusticolus File links The following pages link to this file: Gyr Falcon ...	A light silver-morph bird	Male with a darker "silver" coloration Image File history File links Aa_gyrtiercel_2006_03_18. ...	Brown morph adult (center) and juveniles
Kyrgyz hunting with falco For the language spoken by this ethnic group, see Kyrgyz language. ...

Footnotes

1. ^ Individual vagrancy can take birds for long distances. There is a story in the Unauthorized Biography of the Spring and Autumn^{[verification needed]} of a 海东青 ( Hǎidōngqīng: Gyrfalcon) that succumbed to an arrow wound in the garden of Chen Hui Gong^{[verification needed]}. Confucius recognized the arrow as one of the Sushen, whose fine stone arrowheads were a famous item of trade and tribute (RAM 2006). Although the Sushen's precise homeland at that time remains unknown, it was in the Manchuria region, no less than c.600 and perhaps more than 1000 km from the Lu capital of Qufu.
2. ^ The Gyrfalcon's names in other Germanic languages provide few clues to resolve this. In Scandinavian languages, it is generally named after its use in falconry, whereas the modern Dutch name giervalk is peculiarly ambiguous: Gier means "vulture", whereas gieren means changing the yaw angle to circle in the air.
3. ^ Helbig et al. (1994), Wink et al. (1998), Wink et al. (2004), Nittinger et al. (2005)
4. ^ The allele combination producing the white morph seems to be recessive.
5. ^ Falco rusticolus candicans fron northern Greenland and adjacent North America; F. r. obsoletus from the southern Greenland into subarctic North America which is much darker, often brown or black; and F. r. islandus (Iceland), F. r. rusticolus (Scandinavia inluding the species' type locality, Sweden), as well as F. r. intermedius and F. r. grebnitzkii (Siberia), which all tend towards more or less dark "silver" coloration (Snow et al. 1998).
6. ^ White (1994), Snow et al. (1998)
7. ^ Miller (1927, 1935), Howard (1971), Emslie (1985)
8. ^ Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage: Contest for the Southern Capital between the Liao, Song and Jin Dynasties. Version of 2006-JUL-19. Retrieved 2007-AUG-13.

Confucius (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kung-fu-tzu), lit. ... Sushen (Chinese: 肅愼 su4 shen4) was an ancient ethnic group or something outside China. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lu ( Chinese: 魯國; pinyin: ) was an ancient state in China during the Spring and Autumn Period. ... Qufu (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chü1-fu4) is a city in Shandong Province, China. ... Proto-Indo-European Indo-European studies The Germanic languages form one of the branches of the Indo-European (IE) language family, spoken by the Germanic peoples who settled in northern Europe along the borders of the Roman Empire. ... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ... Flying a Saker Falcon A Goshawk A Hobby Falconry or hawking is an art or sport which involves the use of trained raptors (birds of prey) to hunt or pursue game for humans. ... Dutch is a West Germanic, Low German language spoken worldwide by around 21 million people. ... The yaw angle is the angle between a vehicles heading and a reference heading (normally true or magnetic North). ... In genetics, the term recessive gene refers to an allele that causes a phenotype (visible or detectable characteristic) that is only seen in a homozygous genotype (an organism that has two copies of the same allele). ... The subarctic is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic and covering much of Canada and Siberia, the north of Scandinavia, northern Mongolia and the Chinese province of Heilongjiang. ... In biology the term type locality is used to refer to the location at which a type specimen was collected. ...

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Falco rusticolus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.
• Emslie, Steven D. (1985): The late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) avifauna of Little Box Elder Cave, Wyoming. Rocky Mountain Geology 23(2): 63-82. HTML abstract
• Helbig, A.J.; Seibold, I.; Bednarek, W.; Brüning, H.; Gaucher, P.; Ristow, D.; Scharlau, W.; Schmidl, D. & Wink, Michael (1994): Phylogenetic relationships among falcon species (genus Falco) according to DNA sequence variation of the cytochrome b gene. In: Meyburg, B.-U. & Chancellor, R.D. (eds.): Raptor conservation today: 593-599. PDF fulltext
• Howard, Hildegarde (1971): Quaternary Avian Remains from Dark Canyon Cave, New Mexico. Condor 73(2): 237-240. doi:10.2307/1365844 PDF fulltext
• Miller, Loye H. (1927): The Falcons of the McKittrick Pleistocene. Condor 29(3): 150-152. doi:10.2307/1363081 PDF fulltext
• Miller, Loye H. (1935): A Second Avifauna from the McKittrick Pleistocene. Condor 37(2): 72-79. doi:10.2307/1363879 PDF fulltext
• Nittinger, F.; Haring, E.; Pinsker, W.; Wink, Michael & Gamauf, A. (2005): Out of Africa? Phylogenetic relationships between Falco biarmicus and other hierofalcons (Aves Falconidae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 43(4): 321-331. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0469.2005.00326.x PDF fulltext
• Royal Alberta Museum (2006): Dragon Bytes: Did you know about time's arrows?. Version of October 12, 2006. Retrieved 2007-AUG-13.+
• Snow, David W.; Perrins, Christopher M.; Doherty, Paul & Cramp, Stanley (1998): The complete birds of the western Palaearctic on CD-ROM. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0192685791
• White, Clayton M. (1994): 58. Gyrfalcon. In: del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew & Sargatal, Jordi (editors): Handbook of Birds of the World, Volume 2 (New World Vultures to Guineafowl): 274, plate 28. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-15-6
• Wink, Michael; Seibold, I.; Lotfikhah, F. & Bednarek, W. (1998): Molecular systematics of holarctic raptors (Order Falconiformes). In: Chancellor, R.D., Meyburg, B.-U. & Ferrero, J.J. (eds.): Holarctic Birds of Prey: 29-48. Adenex & WWGBP. PDF fulltext
• Wink, Michael; Sauer-Gürth, Hedi; Ellis, David & Kenward, Robert (2004): Phylogenetic relationships in the Hierofalco complex (Saker-, Gyr-, Lanner-, Laggar Falcon). In: Chancellor, R.D. & Meyburg, B.-U. (eds.): Raptors Worldwide: 499-504. WWGBP, Berlin. PDF fulltext

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Condor is the quarterly journal of the Cooper Ornithological Society. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... The Condor is the quarterly journal of the Cooper Ornithological Society. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... The Condor is the quarterly journal of the Cooper Ornithological Society. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... the royal alberta museum is cool and lalalallalalalallallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllla lllllllllllllllllla dumdedumdedumdumdum lol thsi is me jesse i am bad as a cat lol duh lol hud i got it wrong but hear my bling i am jesse doing the rapping thing. ... Handbook of Birds of the World vol. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Falco rusticolus

• http://www.falconryforum.co.uk
• http://www.falconscanada.com/site/Welcome.html
• http://www.kentishfalconry.co.uk/
• http://www.gyrfalcons.co.uk/
• http://www.mosquitonet.com/~akfalconer/ Alaska Falcons
• Gyrfalcon Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Gyrfalcon Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Stamps (with RangeMap)
• Gyrfalcon photo gallery VIREO