News: Other Falcons

[Kinderchick]

I heard about this on the news yesterday.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Ballywing sent me this link

Falcons drop in, gulls flee



WINNIPEG — Where 4,500 gulls used to interfere with workers at the Brady Road landfill, even defecating on them and their bulldozers, only 400 remain, thanks to the work of a team of falcons and hawks.

Even those few hundred brave gulls that have stuck around rise up en masse and flee when they see Sabaa, one of the falcons, flying around.

Read more .... Falcons drop in, gulls flee  


Sabaa is one of four Saker Falcons being used at the site, and yes, they are flying a peregrine as well as a few hawk species.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Actually, duck hawk is the name given to the peregrine (Audubon called it the Great-footed Bird) and for exactly the reason you mentionned Moka - the big feet.  Merlins are called pigeon hawks.  Don't recall ever hearing if there was another name for American Kestrels ...

American Kestrels are also known as Sparrow Hawks.

Quite right Cadria, how did I not remember that?   Brains going ...  

[Doreen]

These chicks are cute.

[cadria]

Actually, duck hawk is the name given to the peregrine (Audubon called it the Great-footed Bird) and for exactly the reason you mentionned Moka - the big feet.  Merlins are called pigeon hawks.  Don't recall ever hearing if there was another name for American Kestrels ...

American Kestrels are also known as Sparrow Hawks.

[bcbird]

Lovely pictures of these cute merlin chicks.
Fierce Raptors they may become, but they don't have that fiercely cute factor of the Peregrine chicks.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Very cute chicks!  Wings and feet seem quite a bit daintier than our babies

Thanks for the links to the pics dupre.

Ben Franklin or someone of his ilk, called the peregrine a duck hawk because of the size of their feet

They do make the merlin chicks seem cute and dainty!

Actually, duck hawk is the name given to the peregrine (Audubon called it the Great-footed Bird) and for exactly the reason you mentionned Moka - the big feet.  Merlins are called pigeon hawks.  Don't recall ever hearing if there was another name for American Kestrels ...

Interestingly (small) ducks are as big a prey as peregrines can handle and mostly they eat smaller prey.  Same for the merlins, pigeons is as big as they can get, and mostly its smaller they rely on.

[moka]

Very cute chicks!  Wings and feet seem quite a bit daintier than our babies

Thanks for the links to the pics dupre.

Ben Franklin or someone of his ilk, called the peregrine a duck hawk because of the size of their feet

They do make the merlin chicks seem cute and dainty!

[susha]

Very cute chicks!  Wings and feet seem quite a bit daintier than our babies

Thanks for the links to the pics dupre.

[dupre501]

On The Weather Network (Winnipeg), someone posted photos of merlin chicks. The remind me of the Brandon chicks.

I don't know how long the photos will be there, but here are the current links.
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/your_weather/details/620/4546179/3/camb0244/plpcities/?ref=ugc_city_thumbs
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/your_weather/details/620/4546163/4/camb0244/plpcities/

[irenekl]

got it.....thankyou pmg

[pmg]

you can get some more info at:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gyrfalcon/id

[irenekl]

What a beauty and what a story!  I'm certainly interested to learn more about these birds.

[Kinderchick]

Very interesting article, pmg. Thanks for posting it. What beautiful birds they are.

[pmg]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13791688