Lanner falcon

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Lanner falcon
Lanner Falcon 800.jpg
Adult Falco biarmicus feldeggi
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subgenus: Hierofalco
Species:
F. biarmicus
Binomial name
Falco biarmicus
Temminck, 1825
FalcoBiarmicusIUCN2019-3.png
Range of Falco biarmicus
  Resident
  Non-breeding
  Possibly Extant (resident)
Synonyms

Falco feldeggii Schlegel, 1841
Falco lanariusLinnaeus, 1758

Contents

The lanner falcon (Falco biarmicus) is a medium-sized bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. It prefers open habitat and is mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding season. A large falcon, it preys on birds and bats. [2] Most likely either the lanner or peregrine falcon was the sacred species of falcon to the ancient Egyptians, [3] and some ancient Egyptian deities, like Ra and Horus, were often represented as a man with the head of a lanner falcon.

Taxonomy and etymology

The lanner falcon was described by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1825 under the current binomial name Falco biarmicus. [4] The type locality is Caffraria and the Cape of Good Hope. [5] Falco is Late Latin for a "falcon", from falx, falcis "sickle". The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus had used the specific epithet biarmicus for the bearded reedling and Temminck clearly believed that the word meant "bearded" but it is likely that Linnaeus was using the Latinized form for Bjarmaland, a district in northern Russia. [6] The English word "lanner" is believed to come from the Old French lanier meaning "cowardly". The first recorded use of the word in English is from around 1400. [7]

This is presumably the oldest living hierofalcon species. Support for this assumption comes mainly from biogeography agreeing better with the confusing pattern of DNA sequence data in this case than in others. Nonetheless, there is rampant hybridization (like the perilanner) and incomplete lineage sorting which confounds the data to a massive extent; molecular studies with small sample sizes cannot yield reliable conclusions in the entire hierofalcon group.

In any case, the radiation of the entire living diversity of hierofalcons seems to have taken place in the Eemian interglacial at the start of the Late Pleistocene, a mere 130,000–115,000 years ago; the lanner falcons would thus represent the lineage that became isolated in sub-Saharan Africa at some time during the Riss glaciation (200,000 to 130,000 years ago) already. [8] [9] [10] [11]

There are five recognised subspecies: [12]

Description

South Africa Falco biarmicus -near Tugela Ferry, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa -flying-8a.jpg
South Africa
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden Falco biarmicus MWNH 0677.JPG
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden

It is a large falcon, at 43–50 cm (17–20 in) length with a wingspan of 95–105 cm (37–41 in). Eurasian lanner falcons (Falco biarmicus feldeggi, also called Feldegg's falcon) have slate grey or brown-grey upperparts; most African subspecies are a paler blue grey above. The breast is streaked in northern birds, resembling greyish saker falcons, but the lanner has a reddish back to the head. Sexes are similar, but the browner young birds resemble saker falcons even more. However, sakers have a lighter top of the head and less clear head-side patterns. The lanner's call is a harsh "wray-e".

Distribution and habitat

Lanner falcons are predominantly located in open habitats and can range from the forest edge to the desert. However, they are most commonly found in open savannah and sour grasslands. In South Africa, they commonly inhabit the east of the country in grasslands and move into the Fynbos, Nama Karoo and Southern Kalahari during the non-breeding season. [13]

Despite this movement, they are not truly migratory birds, and are usually limited to local movements. These movements may be in response to seasonal rains and altitudes, where higher elevations are inhabited during breeding season, and lower elevations are inhabited out of breeding season. [13]

They are bred in captivity for falconry; hybrids with the peregrine ("perilanners") are also often seen. Merret (1666) claimed that the "lanar" lived in Sherwood Forest and the Forest of Dean in England; such populations would seem to have derived from escaped hunting birds of the nobility. [14] Edward I of England (reigned 1272-1307), who had a passion for falconry, owned at least one lanner.

In the wild, lanner falcon numbers are strongly and steadily declining in Europe as well as in the whole North Africa, though the species remains relatively common in parts of Africa. In the Degua Tembien mountains of Ethiopia, it was observed to contribute to controlling pest rodents. [15]

Ecology

Moulting

Females usually moult from September to January, after the nesting period is over. Whereas, males moult from November to May, once the chicks can hunt for themselves. [16]

Diet

Lanner falcons most commonly prey on other birds, including doves, pigeons and domestic chickens or fowls. [17] These falcons have also been seen to prey on small mammals, reptiles and invertebrates. In Africa and Israel, lanner falcons were observed as hunting bats. [2]

Hunting

It usually hunts by horizontal pursuit, rather than the peregrine falcon's stoop from a height, and takes mainly bird prey in flight. However, these raptors make use of a multitude of hunting styles, including stooping after soaring, attacking from a perch, attacking from a fast, low coursing flight and aerial attacks from a perch. [16] Lanner falcons also exhibit co-operative hunting with high success rate specifically when hunting jackdaws, where the use of visual contact is used to coordinate the chase. [18] Males most commonly make the initial attack, yet the prey is usually caught by the female.

Behaviour

Before the breeding season, both males and females show mutual soaring and flapping flight which are closely synchronized from April to June. Near nesting sites, pairs have also been seen to power-dive together. [16]

Once eggs are fledged, the female predominantly stays with and feeds the juveniles. However, the male takes over this role when the female needs to hunt. When the juveniles are about 25 days old, the female is commonly seen perched near the nest, but still spends a large amount of time in the nest with the juveniles. When the juveniles are about 39 days old, the female does not spend large amounts of time in the nest anymore and both the female and male are actively hunting. [16]

Nesting habits

Lanner falcons usually nest on sheer cliff faces, and lay three or four eggs. They do not have strict nesting regulations and as a result are more common and do not show a patchy distribution. As a result they also make use of old crow nests and are sometimes seen nesting on pylons, trees and less steep cliff faces. [19]

Breeding

Lanner falcon have a laying period in July which suggests a strategy to fledge young before the heat and heavy rain of the summer as well as before the influx of migratory birds during December to February. This timing may improve foraging conditions for juveniles which can increase the success of breeding. Breeding success for these falcons is largely affected by environmental conditions. [20] The incubation period is thought to be 32 days and the nesting period to be 44 days. However, juveniles have been present near nests up  to ten weeks after fledgling. [16] The mean fledgling rate is 2.24 young per successful pair which is typical of large falcons, however, the mean number of individuals fledged overall per territorial pair is 1.3 which is low and may be due to the number of unproductive years towards the end of each territory's occupancy. [16]

Threats

Lanner falcons are of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, yet they can still be negatively affected through anthropogenic process, directly and indirectly.

Direct anthropogenic threats to these raptors include nest robbery, vehicle collisions, electrocution from power lines and persecution. As chicks can barely fly when leaving the nest they are vulnerable and easy to catch, they are threatened by being captured for falconries and through being caught and killed by angry farmers as a result of these birds sometimes preying on domestic chickens. [16]

Indirect anthropogenic threats include loss of suitable habitats as a result of human expansion and the intensive use of pesticides for agriculture. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falcon</span> Birds of prey in the genus Falco

Falcons are birds of prey in the genus Falco, which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peregrine falcon</span> Fastest known animal and common bird of prey

The peregrine falcon, also known simply as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine is renowned for its speed. It can reach over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop, making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph). As is typical for bird-eating (avivore) raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm-nut vulture</span> Species of bird

The palm-nut vulture or vulturine fish eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only member of the genus Gypohierax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobby (bird)</span> Subgenus of birds

A hobby is a fairly small, very swift falcon with long, narrow wings. There are four birds called "hobby", and some others which, although termed "falcon", are very similar. All specialise in being superb aerialists. Although they take prey on the ground if the opportunity presents itself, most prey is caught on the wing; insects are often caught by hawking, and many different birds are caught in flight, where even the quick maneuvering swifts and swallows cannot escape a hobby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurasian hobby</span> Species of bird

The Eurasian hobby or just hobby, is a small, slim falcon. It belongs to a rather close-knit group of similar falcons often considered a subgenus Hypotriorchis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eleonora's falcon</span> Species of bird

Eleonora's falcon is a medium-sized falcon. It belongs to the hobby group, a rather close-knit number of similar falcons often considered a subgenus Hypotriorchis. The sooty falcon is sometimes considered its closest relative, but while they certainly belong to the same lineage, they do not seem to be close sister species. The English name and the species name eleonorae commemorate Eleanor of Arborea, Queen or Lady-Judge and national heroine of Sardinia, who in 1392, under the jurisdiction conferred by the Carta de Logu, became the first ruler in history to grant protection to hawk and falcon nests against illegal hunters. The genus name falco is from Late Latin falx, falcis, a sickle, referring to the claws of the bird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-necked falcon</span> Species of bird

The red-necked falcon is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa. This medium-sized falcon has bluish grey wings and upper body, a chestnut red cap with short chin straps passing through the eye. The primary feathers of the wing are black and a single black band at the tip of the tail are distinctive. The Indian subspecies Falco chicquera chicquera also known as the red-headed merlin or red-headed falcon is found mainly in the open plains of the India Subcontinent although it is thought to have occurred further west in southeastern Iran. The subspecies Falco chicquera ruficollis found in sub-Saharan Africa is sometimes treated as a full species, the rufous-necked falcon, on the basis of its well-separated geographic range and distinctive pattern. It appears very similar to the Indian form but has dark barring on the upperparts, a rufous breast band, and black moustachial and eye stripes. As in most falcons, the females are larger and falconers in India called the female turumti and the male as chatwa. They hunt in pairs mostly at dawn and dusk, capturing small birds, bats and squirrels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbary falcon</span> Subspecies of bird

The Barbary falcon is a medium-sized falcon about the size of a crow. This bird of prey is mainly resident. It ranges from the Canary Islands eastwards across some parts of North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saker falcon</span> Species of bird

The saker falcon is a large falcon species. It breeds from Central Europe eastwards across the Palearctic to Manchuria. It is a partial migrant, which means that some part of the population is migratory, some part is not. In Europe, for example, a part of the juveniles are migrating, while adults are mostly resident. The European and West Asian migratory sakers spend the winter in the Sahel region. On migration, they cross the Middle East, the Arabian peninsula, and Pakistan, where they are exposed to illegal trapping. The migratory birds to the east from Altai Mountains spend the winter in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sooty falcon</span> Species of bird

The sooty falcon is a medium-sized falcon breeding from northeastern Africa to the southern Persian Gulf region. The word sooty means to be covered in soot (ash), and is used to describe the color of the Sooty Falcon. Hence, the falcon gets its name from its color, the color of soot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prairie falcon</span> Species of bird

The prairie falcon is a medium-large sized falcon of western North America. It is about the size of a peregrine falcon or a crow, with an average length of 40 cm (16 in), wingspan of approximately 1 meter (40 in), and average weight of 720 g (1.6 lb). As in all falcons, females are noticeably bigger than males. Though a separate species from the peregrine, the prairie falcon is basically an arid environment divergence of the early peregrine falcon lineage, able to subsist on less food than the peregrine, and generally lighter in weight than a peregrine of similar wing span. Having evolved in a harsh desert environment with low prey density, the prairie falcon has developed into an aggressive and opportunistic hunter of a wide range of both mammal and bird prey. It will regularly take prey from the size of sparrows to approximately its own weight, and occasionally much larger. It is the only larger falcon native only to North America. It is resident from southern Canada, through western United States, and into northern Mexico. The prairie falcon is popular as a falconry bird, where with proper training it is regarded as being as effective as the more well known peregrine falcon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aplomado falcon</span> Species of bird

The aplomado falcon is a medium-sized falcon of the Americas. The species' largest continuous range is in South America, but not in the deep interior Amazon Basin. It was long known as Falco fusco-coerulescens or Falco fuscocaerulescens, but these names are now believed to refer to the bat falcon. Its resemblance in shape to the hobbies accounts for its old name orange-chested hobby. Aplomado is an unusual Spanish word for "lead-colored", referring to the blue-grey areas of the plumage – an approximate English translation would be "plumbeous falcon". Spanish names for the species include halcón aplomado and halcón fajado ; in Brazil it is known as falcão-de-coleira.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laggar falcon</span> Species of bird

The laggar falcon, also known as the lugger falcon or jugger, is a mid-sized bird of prey which occurs in the Indian subcontinent from extreme southeastern Iran, southeastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, through India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and northwestern Myanmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taita falcon</span> Species of bird

The Taita falcon is a small falcon found in central and eastern Africa. It was first described from the Taita Hills of Kenya from which it derives its name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amur falcon</span> Species of bird

The Amur falcon is a small raptor of the falcon family. It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China before migrating in large flocks across India and over the Arabian Sea to winter in Southern and East African coasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black falcon</span> Falcon species

The black falcon is a medium-large falcon that is endemic to Australia. It can be found in all mainland states and territories and yet is regarded as Australia's most under-studied falcon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hierofalcon</span> Subgenus of birds

The hierofalcons are four closely related species of falcon which make up the subgenus Hierofalco:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pygmy falcon</span> Species of bird

The African pygmy falcon —or simply pygmy falcon—is a diminutive raptor native to eastern and southern Africa. It is the sole species in its monotypic genus, Polihierax. The pygmy falcon is the smallest bird of prey on the African continent, and among the smallest raptors on earth; only the Asian falconets are smaller, weighing roughly 30-40 grams less and measuring about 5 cm shorter from head-to-tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock kestrel</span> Species of bird

The rock kestrel is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common kestrel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gyrfalcon</span> Species of bird

The gyrfalcon, the largest of the falcon species, is a bird of prey. The abbreviation gyr is also used. It breeds on Arctic coasts and tundra, and the islands of northern North America and the Eurosiberian region. It is mainly a resident there also, but some gyrfalcons disperse more widely after the breeding season, or in winter. Individual vagrancy can take birds for long distances. Its plumage varies with location, with birds being coloured from all-white to dark brown. These colour variations are called morphs. Like other falcons, it shows sexual dimorphism, with the female much larger than the male. For centuries, the gyrfalcon has been valued as a hunting bird. Typical prey includes the ptarmigan and waterfowl, which it may take in flight; it also takes fish and mammals.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2021). "Falco biarmicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T22696487A200013311. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22696487A200013311.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Mikula, P.; Morelli, F.; Lučan, R. K.; Jones, D. N.; Tryjanowski, P. (2016). "Bats as prey of diurnal birds: a global perspective". Mammal Review. 46 (3): 160–174. doi:10.1111/mam.12060.
  3. Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. p. 202.
  4. Temminck, Coenraad Jacob (1825). Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux, pour servir de suite et de complément aux planches enluminées de Buffon (in French). Vol. 1. Paris: F.G. Levrault. Plate 324. The 5 volumes were originally issued in 102 parts, 1820-1839
  5. Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1979). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 419.
  6. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  71, 151. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  7. "lanner" . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  8. Helbig, A.J.; Seibold, I.; Bednarek, W.; Brüning, H.; Gaucher, P.; Ristow, D.; Scharlau, W.; Schmidl, D.; Wink, Michael (1994). Meyburg, B.-U.; Chancellor, R.D. (eds.). Phylogenetic relationships among falcon species (genus Falco) according to DNA sequence variation of the cytochrome b gene (PDF). Raptor conservation today. pp. 593–599.
  9. Wink, Michael; Seibold, I.; Lotfikhah, F.; Bednarek, W. (1998). Chancellor, R.D.; Meyburg, B.-U.; Ferrero, J.J. (eds.). "Molecular systematics of holarctic raptors (Order Falconiformes)" (PDF). Holarctic Birds of Prey. Adenex & WWGBP: 29–48.
  10. Nittinger, F.; Haring, E.; Pinsker, W.; Wink, Michael; Gamauf, A. (2005). "Out of Africa? Phylogenetic relationships between Falco biarmicus and other hierofalcons (Aves Falconidae)" (PDF). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 43 (4): 321–331. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0469.2005.00326.x.
  11. Wink, Michael; Sauer-Gürth, Hedi; Ellis, David; Kenward, Robert (2004). Chancellor, R.D.; Meyburg, B.-U. (eds.). "Phylogenetic relationships in the Hierofalco complex (Saker-, Gyr-, Lanner-, Laggar Falcon)" (PDF). Raptors Worldwide. Berlin: WWGBP: 499–504.
  12. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2017). "Falcons". World Bird List Version 7.3. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 Jenkins, Andrew R. (1994-12-01). "The Influence of Habitat on the Distribution and Abundance of Peregrine and Lanner Falcons in South Africa". Ostrich. 65 (3–4): 281–290. doi:10.1080/00306525.1994.9632688. ISSN   0030-6525.
  14. Merret, Christopher (1666). Pinax rerum naturalium Britannicarum continens vegetabilia, animalia et fossilia, in hac insula reperta inchoatus (in Latin). London: Pulleyn and F. & T. Warren.
  15. Meheretu Yonas; Leirs, H (2019). Raptor perch sites for biological control of agricultural pest rodents. In: Nyssen J., Jacob, M., Frankl, A. (Eds.). Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN   978-3-030-04954-6.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kemp, A. C. (1993-03-01). "Breeding Biology of Lanner Falcons Near Pretoria, South Africa". Ostrich. 64 (1): 26–31. doi:10.1080/00306525.1993.9634192. ISSN   0030-6525.
  17. Jenkins, A.R (2000). "Variation in the quality of parental care at falcon nests in South Africa as evidence for postulated differences in food availability". Ardea. 88 (1): 17–32.
  18. Leonardi, Giovanni (1999). "Cooperative hunting of Jackdaws by the Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)" (PDF). Journal of Raptor Research. 33 (2): 123–127.
  19. Jenkins, Andrew (2000-09-01). "Characteristics of Peregrine and Lanner Falcon nesting habitats in South Africa". Ostrich. 71 (3–4): 416–424. doi:10.1080/00306525.2000.9639844. ISSN   0030-6525. S2CID   85169008.
  20. Jenkins, Andrew (September 2000). "Factors affecting breeding success of Peregrine and Lanner Falcons in South Africa". Ostrich. 71 (3–4): 385–392. doi:10.1080/00306525.2000.9639837. ISSN   0030-6525. S2CID   84877884.