Saker Falcon

The Saker Falcon is one of the largest members of the genus Falco, rivaling the Gyrfalcon in bulk though with proportionally longer wings and tail. It has a broad, sturdy build built for pursuing prey low over open ground rather than the vertical stoop typical of the Peregrine Falcon.

Plumage is variable across its huge range, but most birds show a pale, sandy-brown to grey-brown back, a lightly streaked creamy-white underside, and a faintly marked head with a thin, indistinct moustachial stripe (much weaker than a Peregrine's). Juveniles are more heavily streaked below than adults and have bluish (rather than yellow) bare parts around the eye and legs.

Key field marks

• Large, broad-chested falcon with long, somewhat rounded wingtips compared to a Peregrine
• Pale sandy-brown upperparts contrasting with a paler head
• Underparts whitish with fine streaking, denser on the flanks
• Faint, narrow moustachial stripe (much less bold than Peregrine)
• Long tail, often barred

Similar species

• Peregrine Falcon: shorter, more pointed wings, slate-grey back, and a bold black moustache mark; hunts in fast stoops rather than low pursuit
• Lanner Falcon: smaller and more compact, with a rustier crown and stronger head pattern
• Gyrfalcon: bulkier still, found in Arctic regions with little range overlap; plumage tones colder grey or white rather than sandy

Range

Breeds across the steppes and semi-deserts of Central Asia and Eastern Europe, from Hungary and the Balkans east through Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and western China.

Habitat

Favors open, treeless or sparsely wooded steppe, grassland, and agricultural land where it can hunt ground squirrels and other burrowing mammals. Often nests in old stick nests of other raptors or corvids on cliffs, pylons, or isolated trees.

Migration

Northern and Central Asian populations are migratory or partially migratory, wintering south into the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, and northeastern Africa. Southern populations may be resident.

Hunting

The Saker Falcon typically hunts by fast, low-level pursuit over open ground, targeting ground squirrels (sousliks), pikas, and other small mammals, as well as birds taken on the wing.

Voice

Gives a harsh, grating kyak-kyak-kyak alarm call near the nest, deeper and harsher than a Peregrine's, along with various chattering and wailing notes during the breeding season.

Nesting

Does not build its own nest, instead using old nests of other large birds (such as ravens, buzzards, or eagles) on cliff ledges, quarry faces, pylons, or trees. Typically lays 3-5 eggs.

Conservation

Populations have declined sharply due to habitat loss, poisoning, and illegal trapping, leading to its Endangered status on the IUCN Red List.