Family

Falconidae Leach, 1820 – Caracaras, Falcons

Subfamily

Falconinae Leach, 1820

Genus

Falco Linnaeus, 1758 – Falcons

Species

Falco cherrug J. E. Gray, 1834 – Saker Falcon

Falcon Temporal range: Late Miocene to present

Family:

Falconidae

Subfamily:

Falconinae

Genus:

Falco Linnaeus, 1758

There are 40 different species of falcons in the world

The grey falcon (Falco hypoleucos) is an enigmatic bird as well as rare. There are over 26,000-39,000 pairs of the red-footed falcon, while grey falcons can be found in limited pairs, which are around 1000

Compared to other birds of prey, the fossil record of the falcons is not well distributed in time. The oldest fossils tentatively assigned to this genus are from the Late Miocene, less than 10 million years ago.

Falcons are not closely related to other birds of prey, and their nearest relatives are parrots and songbirds.

Are hawks descended from parrots?

  "Loons are closely related to flamingos but not ducks; falcons are closely related to songbirds and parrots but not falcons; and swifts are closely related to hummingbirds and not swallows.

Adult Gray Hawks are pale gray birds with finely barred chests and prominently banded black-and-white tails. The undertail coverts are white; the wingtips are dark. Immatures have dark brown backs with heavy brown streaks and spots on the underparts.

Description. The gray hawk averages 46–61 cm (18–24 in) inches in length and weighs 475 g (16.8 oz).

between

How long does a gray hawk live? Although not much is known about the life cycle of gray hawks, we can assume a few things from their classification as a raptor or a bird of prey. Usually, the lifespan of a bird of prey varies anywhere between the range of five and 20 years

The size difference is also important.  The male weighs about 700 grams

Usually restricted to shrubland, grassland and wooded watercourses of arid and semi-arid regions, although it is occasionally found in open woodlands near the coast. Also occurs near wetlands where surface water attracts prey

Hawks usually like to live in places like deserts and fields, likely as it is easier to find prey. As they are able to live anywhere, they can be found in mountainous plains and tropical, moist areas. Hawks have been found in places such as Central America, the West Indies, and Jamaica.

Hawks eat about every one to three days and sometimes hunt multiple times in a day if their prey is small. A hawk's hunting frequency varies greatly depending on what's available and how big both predator and prey are.

Gray Hawks eat mostly lizards, and they prey upon many different species. ... Both male and female Gray Hawks help build the nest, using live twigs and branches from the tree they are nesting in. Their courtship displays consist of steep, coordinated dives and aerial acrobatics.

Photo by Gunnar Pettersson via Birdshare.  Hawks sometimes form large flocks.  They generally take advantage of increased thermal air currents and you may see dozens (and, during migration, even thousands) flying together in the right conditions.

Gray hawks are monogamous and can mate for life.  They make stick nests high above the ground, in which the female lays one to five eggs each year.  Both sexes incubate the eggs for four to five weeks, feeding the young from the time they hatch until they leave the nest about six weeks later.

The gray hawk mating system is monogamous.  During December to May, the breeding season, these birds perform courtship displays.

Clutch Size:

1-5 eggs

Number of Broods:

1 brood

Egg Length:

2.2-2.7 in (5.5-6.8 cm)

Egg Width:

1.7-2.0 in (4.3-5 cm)

Incubation Period:

28-35 days

The primary difference between male hawks and female hawks is size. This is true for most raptors. ... Despite the difference in size, adult males and females have comparable wingspans. However, female Cooper's Hawks are roughly one third larger than males, which is one of the largest size differences of any hawk species

Each year countless pets, wildlife, even beautiful eagles and hawks die from secondary poisoning. ... Poisoning produces a slow death for any animal which may ingest it. Anti-coagulants contain chemicals that limit blood clotting and can take up to 2 weeks to kill the animal

predators

Unknown, but as a medium-sized raptor can expect great horned owls and golden eagles to be possible predators. 80% of diet is reptiles- mostly lizards. Also small birds, small mammals, large insects and amphibians

diseases:

Examples include the infamous bird flu;  histoplasmosis, a respiratory disease caused by a fungus that grows when piles of bird droppings accumulate;  and cryptococcosis, another disease transmitted by fungal spores that grow in bird droppings.

population trend:

Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population to be 140,000 with 17% spending some part of the year in the U.S., 5% in Canada, and 5% in Mexico. This U.S.-Canada Stewardship species rates a 10 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score and is not on the 2016 State of North America's Birds Watch List.

future impacts:

Gray falcons play an important role in local ecosystems by helping to control populations of small mammals, including rodents and rabbits.  They also provide habitat for some species of small birds, including house sparrows, which live in active nests of red-tailed hawks.

do grey falcon interact with human:

no, this species is very intolerant to humans but red-tailed hawks seem to be the most tolerant of humans around.  They like to build their nests with the highest vantage point possible, and sometimes choose electrical towers over trees or cliffs.