Guide to Boreal Birds
Hawk-like Birds Overview
It is a memorable occasion when a Gyrfalcon is sighted on a coastal salt marsh or over open country inland. In the Far North it feeds mainly on ptarmigans, but during the summer months it also takes shorebirds, eiders, and gulls, and makes frequent raids on the great colonies of murres and Dovekies. The Gyrfalcon is also the official bird of the Northwest Territories.
Description
22" (56 cm). W. 4' (1.2 m). The largest of the true falcons. 3 color phases occur: blackish, white, and gray-brown. All phases are more uniformly colored than Peregrine Falcon, which has bold dark "mustaches" and hood and a proportionately larger head.
Voice
A chattering scream, kak-kak-kak-kak.
Nesting
Usually 4 whitish or buff eggs, finely spotted with reddish brown, on a rock ledge or in the abandoned nest of a Rough-legged Hawk or Common Raven.
Habitat
Arctic tundra and rocky cliffs, usually near water. Each winter a few move south to coastal beaches and marshes.
Range/Migration
Breeds on tundra of northern Alaska and northern Canada. Winters in breeding range and also rarely but regularly south to northern tier of states, especially along coasts.