Grey Falcon
Falco hypoleucos· 隼科(3 photos)
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Grey Falcon
30-44 cm; span to 90 cm. Female larger. Pale grey inland falcon with rich yellow cere, eye-ring, legs and feet. Immature: mottled darker above, bolder streaks on whitish breast; cere and eye-ring bluish; legs and feet yellow. Singles, pairs, family parties: male slender and dashing; the larger female can look bomb-like and heavy-shouldered; wings broad, tapering, with slight banana-like upsweep when soaring. Underwings whitish with dark tips; tail proportionately larger than Peregrine's. Flight leisurely, with casual 'over-arm' wingbeats, or fast and questing. 'Stoops' from high on birds like crested pigeons, pursues them at treetop level, or hunts from perches.
- Similar Species
- Grey Goshawk.
- Voice
- mostly quiet; but hoarse, 'chak-chak-chak-chak', not unlike Brown Falcon.
- Habitat
- lightly treed inland plains; gibber deserts, sandridges, pastoral lands, timbered watercourses; seldom in driest deserts.
- Breeding
- June-Nov. in refurbished nest of another raptor or corvid, usually high in leafy eucalypt on watercourse or waterhole.
- Eggs
- 2-3; pink-buff, heavily marbled red-brown.
- Range & Status
- resident or nomadic visitor to inland parts of all mainland States, especially in Simpson Desert-Strzelecki Track region of NT, SA, w. Q and far w. NSW; nw. coast of WA from c. Shark Bay to e. Kimberley; ne. coast near Townsville (Q). Rare to very rare: sedentary, dispersive or part-migratory, with apparent movement to n. Aust. in autumn-winter, towards coast or better-watered habitats in drought. Vulnerable.
