Falcons are the most remarkable and famous of the birds of prey. All falcons have a savage and predacious disposition, especially the Gyrfalcon. Because of their swiftness and excellent far seeing eyesight they became excellent hunters. Gyrfalcons hunt from high in the sky because of their excellent eye sight. They can see an object from very far away.
People learned the Gyrfalcon could be trained to hunt other birds and small mammals.
True falcons have a sharply hooked, toothed and notched beak. Their legs are muscular and the talons are curved, strong and very sharp. In general they have a powerful build.
The Gyrfalcon is the largest of the true falcons standing about two feet tall as an adult. The Gyrfalcon has three special color phases: dark, gray and white. The white phase of Gyrfalcon is unique and the most breath taking of all raptors. The males weigh in at about two and a half pounds and as with almost all raptors, females are bigger and heavier than males.
The Gyrfalcon inhabits the mountains and tundra of Arctic Europe, Asia, North America, Greenland and Iceland.
Gyrfalcons produce on the Yukon North Slope in appropriate surroundings. Birders located many nesting territories on the Yukon North Slope and the largest population occurs along the Firth and Anker rivers.
The diet of the Gyrfalcon consists mostly of birds and small mammals. This makes Gyrfalcons carnivores, and their favorite foods are Rock Ptarmigan and Willow Grouse. Also they dine on ducks, shorebirds and geese. When lemming populations peak, the birds add these mammals to their menu. Grouse and Ptarmigan, that face intermittent changes, affect the Gyrfalcon's breeding and numbers population. Gyrfalcons are restricted to areas where ptarmigan and grouse are prevalent. Gyrfalcon population and productivity on the North Slope varies from year to year.
Gyrfalcons nest on steep cliffs in tundra environments. The birds do not really build a nest but use ledges or the nests of golden eagles, ravens, and rough legged hawks to lay their eggs. The birds establish their nest on cliff faces offering a view of the hunting area. When they do build a nest it consists of a shallow scrape on a ledge with a protective overhang.
The birds need nest sites that offer satisfactory safe keeping against winter. Gyrfalcon nesting sites have an even population across the North Slope and along the major drainage systems. Their nesting sites are always at low elevations, about 25 to 30 feet above the ground along the rivers and streams. When ptarmigan are abundant the Gyrfalcon will spend the winter months on the Yukon North Slope.
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