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The gyrfalcon (/ ˈ dʒ ɜːr ˌ f ɔː (l) k ən / or / ˈ dʒ ɜːr ˌ f æ l k ən /) [3] (Falco rusticolus), also abbreviated as gyr, is a bird of prey from the genus Falco (falcons and kestrels) and the largest species of the family Falconidae. [4]
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey and includes caracaras, laughing falcon, forest falcons, falconets, pygmy falcons, falcons and kestrels.They are small to medium-sized birds of prey, ranging in size from the black-thighed falconet, which can weigh as little as 35 grams (1.2 oz), to the gyrfalcon, which can weigh as much as 1,735 grams (61.2 oz).
The genus Falco was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. [13] The type species is the merlin (Falco columbarius). [14] The genus name Falco is Late Latin meaning a "falcon" from falx, falcis, meaning "a sickle", referring to the claws of the bird.
The falcons and caracaras are around 65 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae (representing all extant species in the order Falconiformes).The family likely originated in South America during the Paleocene [1] and is divided into three subfamilies: Herpetotherinae, which includes the laughing falcon and forest falcons; Polyborinae, which includes the spot-winged ...
The species within the genus Falco are closely related, and some pairings produce viable offspring. The heavy northern gyrfalcon and Asiatic saker are especially closely related, and whether the Altai falcon is a subspecies of the saker or descendants of naturally occurring hybrids is not known.
The bird that can achieve the greatest airspeed is the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), able to exceed 320 km/h (200 mph) in its dives. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] A close relative of the common swift, the white-throated needletail ( Hirundapus caudacutus ), is commonly reported as the fastest bird in level flight with a reported top speed of 169 km/h (105 ...
The saker falcon is a large hierofalcon, larger than the lanner falcon and almost as large as gyrfalcon at 45–57 cm (18–22 in) length with a wingspan of 97–126 cm (38–50 in). Males weigh between 730–990 g (26–35 oz) and females 970–1,300 g (34–46 oz). It resembles a larger but browner Gyrfalcon.
The gyrfalcon is the territorial bird of Northwest Territories. This is a list of bird species confirmed in the Canadian territory of Northwest Territories. Unless otherwise noted, the list is that of Bird Checklists of the World as of March 2021. [1] Of the 296 species on the list, 61 are accidental and four were introduced to North America.