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 VU    Grey Falcon* Id (Atlas): 236
    Falco hypoleucos Endemic

Description (10)
Image of Grey Falcon
 

Other Names (World)
Grey Falcon, Gray Falcon, Blue Hawk, Smoke Hawk

Family
Falconidae (Falcons, Caracaras)

Size
34 - 43 cm

First Described (Guide)
Gould, 1841

Derivation
Fal'-co - L., falcon: hy-po-lëüc'-os - Gk, hypo, under; Gk, leucos, white

Remarks
As an aid to identification in flight the following silhouettes may be of assistance



Gliding



Soaring

Abundance (Guide)
R

Rare to very rare. Sedentary, dispersive or part-migratory, moving to northern Australia in the fall - winter, and toward the coasts or wetter areas in drought.

Habitat
Open plains, semi-desert and lightly timbered country or mountain ranges. Generally confined to arid regions.

Range (Guide)
Australia (B) (NB).

Vagrant to Papua New Guinea.

Image of Range of Grey Falcon
Central and north-western Australia.
 
Inland Australia generally, but extending to coastal areas in parts of Western Australia.
 
Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 2,000 (2010) and stable.

Status VU
Probably secure.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Singly or in pairs.

Food
Small birds, reptiles and small mammals.

Voice
A hoarse, 'chak-chak-chak-chak'. Mostly quiet.



Xeno-Canto Sound Files

 
Grey Falcon (Falco hypoleucos) [XC378907]
     by Jim Holmes from Lark Quarry Communication Tower Opalton, Winton Shire, Queensland, Australia (call)

 
Grey Falcon (Falco hypoleucos) [XC378908]
     by id from Lark Quarry Communication Tower Opalton, Winton Shire, Queensland, Australia (call)

Breeding Season (Guide)
June - November.

J F M A M J J A S O N D
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   


Nest
Large, loosely built of sticks and twigs, lined with soft bark or wool, generally placed at the top of a tall tree. Often the adandoned nest of another hawk is used.

Eggs (Guide)
2 - 4, usually 3; pink-buff, heavily spotted with red-brown; blunt-oval; about 51 x 37 mm. Incubation: 32 - 35 days; by female.

Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in 42 - 45 days.

Subspecies
No subspecies.

Similar Species
Grey Goshawk (Accipiter novaehollandiae)
Grey morph. Grey above and whitish below. Has short, rounded wings. Has a longish tail and long legs.

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Pale inland morph.

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis)
Has a black hood, and a blackish moustachial stripe. Is darker, slate-blue or blackish above.

Compare Images


References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9


Files:
JPG files for Grey Falcon (Falco hypoleucos) - 10 filesMP3 files for Grey Falcon (Falco hypoleucos) - 1 files


More Information

BirdLife International

For more information about the Grey Falcon see... Show Articles BirdLife International Species Factsheet.


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