Birds of prey – falconiformes are endangered worldwide.
More than half of the birds belonging to this group in Russia have been added to the Russian Federation’s Red Data Book. Large falcons such as the Gyrfalcon, Saker Falcon, and Peregrine Falcon occupy a special position.
Gyrfalcon
Habitat: Tundra and forest tundra from the Kola Peninsula to Chukotka and Kamchatka<
Global population numbers: 10,000 pairs
Population numbers in Russia: 3,500–5,000 pairs
The gyrfalcon is the largest species of falcon and has been included in the Russian Federation’s Red Data Book List of Fauna, approved by Order No. 162 of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia dated 24.03.2020, with rarity category status 2: species decreasing in number and subject to special protection.
Wingspan can reach 160 cm, and males weigh 0.9–1.5 kg, females – 1.4–2.1 kg or more. Gyrfalcons increase slightly in size within Russia from west to east. Coloration lightens in the same direction, though much more distinctly. Thus, in populations from the Kola Peninsula up to and including Western Siberia, the grey (dark) colour variant predominates. Light (half-white and white) birds are almost non-existent. In the east, various estimates have placed the number of light birds at somewhere between 50 and 70%, though in recent years, selective illegal removal has caused their numbers to decrease to 20%, a process that continues.
Photo: A. Murzakhanov
Saker Falcon
Habitat: The central and southern parts of European Russia, the steppe and forest steppe of South Siberia (60–70%), Altai-Sayan, Predbaikalia, Transbaikalia
Global population numbers: 7,000–13,000 pairs
Population numbers in Russia: 1,500–2,000 pairs
The saker falcon is a large species of falcon that resembles a kestrel outwardly and is most often reddish-yellow or brown. The colour of its back ranges from dark brown to ocher-brown or gray, with covering feathers of ocher, sometimes white, on the edges, presenting as clear stripes in some birds.
Females are larger than males and share the same coloring, although that of females tends to be closer to the coloring of young birds: males weigh 0.65–0.95 kg, females 0.85–1.40 kg. Male and female bodies are 425–604 mm in length. Male wingspan is 347–393 mm and female 376–423 mm.
Photo: V. Konev
Peregrine Falcon
Habitat: All of Russia, from its western borders to the Chukotka Peninsula, Kamchatka, and the Kuril Islands
Global population numbers: 100,000–200,000 pairs
Population numbers in Russia: approximately 15,000 pairs
The peregrine falcon is considered to be the fastest animal on the planet. It attacks by first climbing to a great height and then dive bombing (stooping) and reaching speeds of up to 400 km/h (the greatest speed recorded on video was 389 km/h).
Peregrine falcons can live 15–17 years in the wild and more than 20–22 years in a dedicated facility. First year mortality is 59–70%, which then decreases to 25–32% annually.
Birds form the basis of its diet. The peregrine falcon hunts almost all bird species that share its habitat, with choice of prey varying in accordance with availability and behavior.
Photo: A. Vyalkov