Bird · GBIF taxon 2481061
Sooty Falcon
Falco concolorSooty falcons time their late summer breeding season to coincide with the southbound migration of passerine birds, ensuring an abundant food supply for their hungry chicks in arid desert environments. Adults feature an elegant slate-grey plumage accented by bright yellow legs, cere, and eye-rings. After rearing young on barren desert islands and remote cliff ledges, they undertake long migrations to wintering grounds in East Africa and Madagascar.
RaptorMigratoryDesert
1 / 4—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Migratory songbirds
- Dragonflies
- Bats
Predators
- Golden Eagles
- Desert Foxes
ThreatsNest site disturbance, habitat degradation, pesticide accumulation, climate change
HabitatsArid deserts, coastal cliffs, barren islands, savanna
Life span10–15 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyFalconidae
- SpeciesFalco concolor
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a slender, dark grey raptor with long wings extending past the tail tip at rest.
- Support conservation
- Keep clear of desert cliff nesting sites and avoid using drones or loud equipment nearby.
Responsible observation
- Breeding Disturbance: Keep well away from coastal desert cliffs and islands during August and September nesting.
- Observation Distance: Use a high-power spotting scope to watch foraging behavior without alarming the birds.
- Flight Profile: Identify in flight by long, pointed wings and a buoyant, acrobatic soaring style.
Prey Jeevan Jose, Kerala, India / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Ani Sarkisyan, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ani Sarkisyan · cc-by
Close Relative Mykola Swarnyk / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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