| Red-naped shaheen | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Falconiformes |
| Family: | Falconidae |
| Genus: | Falco |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | F. p. babylonicus |
| Trinomial name | |
| Falco peregrinus babylonicus P.L. Sclater, 1861 | |
| | |
| The 9th item on the list of peregrine falcon subspecies | |
The red-naped shaheen (Falco peregrinus babylonicus) is a non-migratory subspecies of the peregrine falcon, which is the fastest animal on Earth. The subspecies is distributed from Mongolia, Kazakhstan to India and Iran. [2]
Adults are paler than other subspecies of peregrine falcon. They show a grayish blue color on their back. forehead and nape are rufous and crown is more dark. Their narrow moustashes have the same color like their crown with rufous halo on edges. In comparison with other subspecies, babylonicus has less spots on chest, abdomen and thighs with creamy background. After multiple moults the chest will be clear and a few V-shape spots remain on thighs and flanks. Tail has the same color like back with darker barrings
Juveniles have brown back and crown with paler and rufous-buff forehead. Their moustaches are dark brown with rufous-buff edges. Their chest and thighs are streaked and have vertical barrs with cream background. Their tail is brown with darker barrings. [3]
Flight feathers are longer in juveniles and after the first moulting they grow in the same size of adults. And after each moulting their lateral tail feathers grow lesser than the past year. [4]
Linguists [5] said that the Persian word شاهین ( shaheen ) is derived from the older world سئن (sa'en), meaning "big bird of prey".
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