Fauna
Bird

Sooty Falcon

Falco concolor

Sooty 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
Sooty Falcon reference1 / 4
(c) Mourad Harzallah, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Mourad Harzallah · cc-by
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VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMigratory 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
Classification
  1. FamilyFalconidae
  2. SpeciesFalco concolor
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. 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.
Related species
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