Grey Falcon Research - a research project by Jonny Schoenjahn

Movements and Genetics of
Grey Falcons

Falco hypoleucos Gould, 1841.

A research project by
Jonny Schoenjahn
Perth, Western Australia.

This site was created 30 May 2004.
Last update: 30 May 2010.

Photographs by Gary Porter and myself.

After three years of fruitless searches, in July 2007 the first free-flying Grey Falcon could be captured, a male. The age of that bird is presumably one year. The bird was weighed (419 gram), measured etc., and released. A very encouraging break-through for the study no doubt.

The first free-flying Grey Falcon ever to be captured, July 2007.

Note that the whitish tips of the two older tail feathers have worn off, only the shafts are left.

The bird was banded with one metal band on each lower leg, both bands of the colour 'metal' (see bottom of this page). The bands are well visible, in flight and when the bird is perched.

During the 2008 breeding season, increadibly seven active nests could be located.

Thank you very much to everyone reporting their sightings to me, I am very grateful for your wonderful help.

The Project

One of Australia's rarest birds of prey, the Grey Falcon is little known and understood. To date no systematic study of the species has been conducted. Even seemingly basic facts such as the size of the breeding territory are unknown, not to mention the total number of the population. Not surprisingly there is more speculation around than profound knowledge.

An adult Grey Falcon Falco hypoleucos. Photo by and courtesy of Gary Porter.

To get a better idea of their biology and ecology I have started a research project with the title ‘Movements and Genetics of Grey Falcons’. Now the main question is: where are they? The combination of their scarcity and the remoteness of their preferred arid habitat makes the search a challenge. Further, sightings and especially breeding are probably more often recorded than reported, and the reason is understandable. Over-enthusiastic bird watchers, irresponsible photographers or film teams can and in the past have cause considerable disturbance especially at nest sites, which may result in abandoning the breeding for that year altogether. Last not least, there might be still a threat from falconers and illegal egg-collectors.

The main objective of the project is to study the movements of individual birds. Both short-term movements such as during breeding, and long-term movements over extended periods of time are of interest. Birds will be marked individually with a combination of coloured metal bands, one band on each leg. Please see at the bottom of this page.

Although it is said that they rarely use the same nest twice, there might be a chance however that the adult birds will come back to the same general area to breed. They are known to use old nests of corvids or other raptors such a Black Kites rather than building their own nest.

I would be very interested and grateful for every record, anywhere in Australia. Certainly all information will be kept strictly confidential.

I would like to use this opportunity to say thank you to the many people supporting this project, for their wonderful help and encouragement.

This project is not possible without the help of you!

Please keep sending in your records.

Cheers,
Jonny

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If you experience difficulties with this page or have any comments or suggestions, or have a photograph of a Grey Falcon which could be included here, please send me an e-mail.

Colour-band combinations used in this study.